


With dawn

by DritaA_Clexa4ever



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: AU, Angst, Drama, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Love/Hate, Slow Burn, clexa au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-07
Updated: 2020-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:13:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 72,354
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26344666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DritaA_Clexa4ever/pseuds/DritaA_Clexa4ever
Summary: The story follows a cheerful female artist named Clarke Griffin. Clarke is studying at the Otis College of Art in Los Angeles with her best friend Octavia, who soon introduces the blonde to her boyfriend's sister, Alexandria Butler. A biker woman whose heart is extremely difficult to get to. Or almost impossible ...
Relationships: Bellamy Blake/Luna, Clarke Griffin & Lexa, Clarke Griffin/Lexa, Octavia Blake/Lincoln
Comments: 55
Kudos: 114





	1. First meeting - fail

**Author's Note:**

  * A translation of [С рассветом](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/679873) by KristinaKreisi. 



> A translation of С рассветом by KristinaKreisi  
> This fanfic was translated from Russia into English with permission of author  
> Author name: KristinaKreisi  
> Her work on website: https://ficbook.net/readfic/4009739
> 
> Sorry My English is not good so i hope you like and enjoy it

\- "God, freedom!" Clarke smiles as she leaves the college building.

The blonde straightens her backpack and turns her gaze to the sky. The smile widens. Sunny Los Angeles is what the blonde loves the most. The energetic rays of the sun, the beach, watch the surging waves and how surfers try to ride the wave.

Inspired by the fact that the pairs are over, the blonde pushes her friend in the shoulder, playfully jumping eyebrows.

\- "Where are we going today?"

To which Octavia smiled timidly and, scratching the back of her head slightly, started to move.

\- "Yesterday Lincoln offered to meet his friends from the team," the girl began, looking at her feet and hugging a stack of folders ...

\- “Wow, this’s cool,” Griffin is sincerely happy, hugging her friend by the shoulders and pulling her to herself.

\- "Yes, great," again a timid smile flashes on the girl's lips. She continues to look at her feet and Clarke notices that something is wrong with her friend's behavior.

\- "Hey, what's wrong?" the blonde becomes a little more serious, stopping and already staring into the gray eyes of her friend. Octavia looks away and yet, under the pressure of the blue eyes opposite, sighs and turns her gaze to the blonde.

\- "I'm a little uncomfortable, you know?"

Clarke only squints slightly, trying to figure out the meaning of the girl's words.

\- "You're scared?" a slight smile flickers on the lips of Griffin.

\- “A little,” Octavia sighs, looking away and looking at the green meadow where the students are studying. - "Well, you know, they are all so formidable there, probably. Cool, rough, maybe. They'll talk about motorcycles, but I don't know a damn about it and ..."

\- "Ok, stop," Clarke interrupts her friend in mid-sentence, straightening her backpack, and then puts her hand on the girl's shoulder, urging her to look in the eyes opposite, - "you have a vague idea of bikers, O," the blonde hugs her friend by the shoulders, and they go further, while Clarke tries to explain to Blake that things are not so bad. - "First," the blonde throws up her finger, still hugging her friend, - "they are people too. And they only in appearance seem to be formidable and rude dorks, secondly," Clarke throws up a second finger - "he likes you who you are. And he clearly doesn't care deeply if you are fumbling in all this garbage, thirdly," Griffin throws up another finger and falls silent, - "okay, I don't know what else to say, well, in general, I told you the main thing, so don't be afraid," waves her hand and, smiling, pats her friend comfortingly on the shoulder. She only sighs doom.

\- "Somehow not very comforting," already a slight smile appears on the face of the brown-haired woman.

\- “Well, you know, I tried,” Griffin encourages her friend with a nudge on the shoulder as they leaves campus.

The girls laughed, and then went to the cafe opposite to get a portion of coffee and muffins.

\- “Clarke,” Octavia begins hesitantly, sitting down at the table. She only with a full mouth raises a questioning look at Blake. - "Back me up."

\- "A?" still with a full mouth the blonde is interested, washing down the deliciousness of coffee.

\- "Well ...," the friend began to twist the glass in her hands, and then began to scratch her eyebrow uncertainly. - "Come with me there."

\- "O, are you serious?" Clarke raises one eyebrow towards the ceiling.

\- "Please," Octavia howls in pleading, drilling her friend with puppy eyes, - "I will be terribly uncomfortable alone, but if you are near, it will become much easier for me. Please, please, please,” Blake chatters non-stop, grabbing her friend's hand and squeezing her harder with each word.

\- “Ouch,” Griffin mutters in displeasure, yanking her hand out of Octavia’s already tight grip. Strokes her wrist and looks into the gray eyes opposite. She looks and looks, and then, sighing heavily, throws, - "okay," the brown-haired woman immediately blossomed and began to clap her hands excitedly, but immediately fell silent when Clarke pointed her index finger at her - "but you owe me, a loser," and Octavia smiled again, nodding nonstop and saying «Yes, yes, yes, yes.»

After chatting a little more, the girls hurried to leave the cafe.

\- "So when are we going?" Clarke starts, poking around on her phone and heading for the dorm.

\- "Today," Blake immediately throws, leading a friend by the hand, so that the blonde does not inadvertently hit the post.

\- "Today?!" exclaims the blonde, looking up from the phone.

\- "Well, yes," shrugs, - "in the evening. At eight o'clock," the brown-haired woman immediately adds quickly, raising her hand as a sign of protection, preparing for her friend's angry tirade.

\- “Well, O,” Griffin sighs and shakes her head as she approaches to the building.

\- "Hey, we still have time for the beach ..."

\- "Your bad head, tomorrow we have a painting exam," Clarke throws up hand, - "Miss Robins will be angry as a shark if we are late."

\- “Everything will be all right, we’re not going to get drunk there in the wood and generally come back in the morning,” Blake inserts a protective note, opening the dormitory doors.

\- "Damn, remind me why am I still friends with you?" the blonde sighs, showing the pass to the guards.

\- “Because you love me,” the brown-haired woman smiles at all thirty-two, also showing her pass.

Clarke just rolls eyes in confirmation of her friend's words.

*****

\- "Hey, how is the evening, beauties?" the dark-skinned boy smiles, showing his snow-white teeth and showing his bare torso, as from a magazine cover.

Clarke, still lying on the bedspread, propped up on her elbows, watches the waves.

\- “Wonderful,” O flashes a smile as she dabs her hair with a towel.

\- "How about riding the same wave with me?" the guy runs his hand through hair, paying attention to Clarke. She only admires the ocean with an unperturbed gaze and how surfers ride in the rays of the sunset.

\- "How about riding her alone?" the blonde throws sharply, raising one eyebrow, and, satisfied with what has been said, watches the guy. He grunted something, understandable only to him, and hastened to disappear from the horizon.

\- "Why are you so rude?" O is indignant about, sitting down next to a friend.

\- "You know how I do not like such sugary selfish and navels of the earth," the blonde defends herself, continuing to watch the waves and how slowly the sun sets, - "they annoy me terribly, believing that everyone likes them and do favors by offering the girl "Ride" the wave with him. Damn, I hate those," the blonde shakes her shoulders, showing her disgust.

\- "You have pretty big aspirations for the chosen one," notes Octavia, lying on her back and pulling on sunglasses over her eyes, - "sometimes corny, sometimes too "Hercules", sometimes too boring, then something else," continues to give instructions from her friend, gesturing with her hand, - "at this rate, you will remain an old maid without a life partner," Clarke just rolls eyes, listening to her friend shoot the truth right in the forehead, - "you are already twenty-two, and you do not know what you want in terms of, except, of course, that you want to be an artist and travel the world, but dear, all these things need to be done with the person you love and yes," she waves hand, - "I know that you love me, but I will not travel with you around the world and generally endure you for the rest of my life ..."

\- “Thanks,” Clarke grins.

\- "Your wellcome," Blake immediately throws in response, - "well, so, you should take what gives you life, and not sift out everything like a grain to the smallest grain. God, I remember your kiss with Cassandra in the first year," Octavia continues to chatter calmly again, and Clarke just rolls her eyes again, remembering that kiss with a red-haired girl at one of the parties, - "and you shouldn't exclude girls: if you have a soul to the boobs, then I'm only for ..."

\- “Octavia,” the blonde hums, covering her face with hand.

\- "What, "Octavia"? Am I wrong? Look, I will take any side of you, even your gay side. I just want you to be happy and find someone for yourself, and not be afraid to leave you after college, okay?"

\- “Yeah,” the blonde hums, rubbing the bridge of her nose wearily.

\- "Well, that's nice," the friend smiles rather, lying down more comfortably.

Clarke continues to watch the ocean. She always liked to watch the raging waves: they calm and inspire her. She has a lot of drawings with the ocean. The ocean is raging, the ocean is peaceful, the ocean is in the sun, the ocean at night, the ocean at sunset and the ocean at dawn. So one and so different always, and Clarke really loved it.

Sometimes she went out on weekends to the beach, where there was no one, and, sitting on the rocks by the shore, just enjoyed the sound of the surf. Plunged into houghts and pondered the future. Which, perhaps, will be in five or ten years. Who she will be. Who will she be with. What it will be ... All these thoughts revolved in her head in a closed ring.

She never stopped painting. Art is her life. She was born this way. She was born as an artist.

Sometimes she is a little absent-minded, curious and persistent. Accustomed to jumping above her head, accustomed to doing what, it would seem, is not in her power. Got used to doing the impossible. Always cheerful and illuminates everything around with a smile. She finds beauty in everything and enjoys it. People become calmer and more cheerful next to the blonde. They always find a friend in her, because she is always open to them. At first glance, it inspires confidence.

Trust is something that sometimes becomes a burden for a blonde. People trust her so much and are ready to lay so much responsibility on her fragile shoulders, confident that she will do everything to the maximum, and then a moment occurs when the blonde is not confident in her abilities, however, the fear of letting her comrades take over, and she jumps above her head ... Does the "impossible". It is always difficult and sometimes want to get rid of this burden, when all the teachers have high hopes for you and you cannot fail.

\- "Hey, friend, stop dreaming," Octavia pushes the blonde in the shoulder, pushing that thought out, - "it's time to get ready. The sun will set soon."

Clarke just nods and gets off the bedspread and, shaking off the remaining sand, pulls on her denim shorts and a loose T-shirt that exposes her tanned shoulders. Looks into the phone.

\- “It's almost seven,” Griffin mutters to herself, reaching blindly for her backpack on the sand.

\- “God, I’m very worried,” the friend replies excitedly, folding the blanket. Nervously unzips the bag and nervously stuffs the bedding into it.

\- "Relax," Clarke gently slaps her friend on the shoulder, slowly leaving the beach, - "I'm with you, and everything will be cool. They will like you ..."

\- "And his sister?" Octavia throws anxiously, turning a worried gaze into her friend's blue eyes.

\- "He has a sister?" Griffin answers the question to a question, raising her eyebrows in surprise.

\- "Well, yes," the brown-haired woman shrugs in response, - "she's like the main one in their team."

\- “Oh, well, I think she’ll like you,” Clarke consoles the girl, stroking her shoulder, - “be yourself and everything will be cool, okay?"

\- "Okay," Blake breaks into a smile, and the girls slowly leave the beach ...

****

The roar of motorcycle engines. Puffs of smoke spiraled against the lanterns of the amazing bikers. Around is empty, and only nighttime Los Angeles can be seen in the distance.

Hard rock is playing somewhere nearby. Many broke up into small piles, discussing something.

Favorite place of the team for general gathering. They are at the top of the slope, watching the city at night. From here everything is in full view, and only at dawn they leave this place.

\- “It's not so bad here,” Clarke smiles, nudging her friend lightly in the shoulder, - “and they're not as scary as you imagined. Lovely even," continues to console the worried Octavia, glancing at something discussing bikers.

\- "Probably" swallows a huge lump in the throat of the brown-haired woman, bewilderedly wandering around the motorcyclists.

\- "Beauty, are you here?" does not hold back a sincere smile Lincoln, approaching to the girls. Octavia relaxes noticeably.

\- "Well, yes," the girl breaks into a smile and receives a friendly kiss on the lips from a man, - "um, do you mind that Clarke is here?"

\- “No, on the contrary, glad,” the biker smiles broadly, nodding to Griffin. - “It's even better.

\- “It's very cool here,” Clarke smiles, straightening her backpack, and then crosses her arms over chest.

\- “Yeah, it's lovely here,” Link agrees, still smiling and hugging the brown-haired woman around the waist. - "Let me introduce you here to everyone," he begins, bringing the girls closer to the bikers. - "This is Bell and Luna," brings them to the lisping couple, - "Bell, Luna, this is Octavia and Clarke," he introduces, and after talking for a couple of minutes and shaking hands as a sign of acquaintance with each other, they went on. (Bell and Luna are inseparable couples. They love each other to the point of madness and are always together. If Bell is slightly detached in communicating with people, then Luna, on the contrary, is very friendly and loves to scratch her tongue. Cheerful and the most groovy in the whole team).   
\- "These are our golden hands," the man smiles, pointing to the trinity of something discussing bikers, - "Jasper, Monty and Raven are mechanics," after talking with the trinity for five minutes and noting to herself, Clarke understands that this trinity is souls companies. Very funny guys. Without stopping long, Lincoln introduced the girls to Anya, but the conversation with her was not long. (Anya is not a fan of scratching with her tongue how much in vain, but would prefer to once again polish the tank of the bike, or just watch the city at night, plunging into her thoughts. But if you are talking to her, then you should get used to the fact that she always says something what she thinks.For this they love her. She will always tell the truth and will not be afraid of it. She is also the Commander's best friend). Having introduced the girls to a couple of friends, the man stopped and, hugging the girl, asked: - "Well, how do you like it?"

\- "I am delighted, really," the brown-haired glows with a smile, looking with love into the guy's eyes, black as night.

\- "And what about you, Clarke?" still pleased with the girl's answer, looks at her friend.

\- "I'm delighted too. You are very cool guys," the blonde answers sincerely, smiling wider.

\- "I am very glad that you like each other, it is very important for me. This team is my family. Their opinion is the most important for me," he answers a little more seriously. The girls just smiled and nodded back. - "I want to introduce you to the main person in my life, my sister ..."

They slowly began to approach closer to the cliff, from where the view of the aircraft began to open more and more clearly.

As they approached, they saw the dark silhouette more clearly. A black bikers and a girl sitting on it, looking into the distance.

Clarke seemed just numb at how beautiful the picture was in front of her eyes. The dark silhouette of the girl sitting on the bike knocked all the spirit out of Clarke.

Clarke watched the clouds of sand rise in the light of the dimensions, how the girl still sits with her back to them, how a cigarette is smoking in her hands and she, with a certain grace, continues to draw smoke into her lungs, and then, raising her head higher, slowly exhales. From this picture, the spirit simply left the body. All Clarke wanted now was to capture this beauty on canvas. And she eagerly devoured the dark image of the girl, longing to remember it in the smallest detail, so that later she could print it on canvas ...

\- “We have guests,” the brunette says, still sitting with her back to the guests, continuing to look at the night lights of the city. Her voice was calm and with a slight hoarseness. Velvet at the same time, but showing the power of the hostess. Her voice, in particular, struck Clarke as beautiful, because just her voice sent a wave of pleasant creeps through the blonde's body. Incredible.

\- "And you know everything," the guy smiles, looking at his sister's back.

\- "Still would," she grins with the corner of her lips, lowering head and exhaling the last haze, throws the cigarette on the floor, and then presses the butt into the ground.

She sighs and, lightly slapping herself on the knees, gets off the bike and immediately turns to face the guests ...

At that very second, Clarke forgot how to breathe. She knew, of course, that bikers weren't as scary as they were said to be. That they are some kind of two-meter rocks and all that. She knew that they could be quite normal, but to be so ... Griffin still does not take her eyes off the brunette. She cannot stop admiring the beauty of the girl ...

Green eyes that barely flicker in this darkness. Under the unbuttoned leather jacket, a white T-shirt was visible, with some kind of inscription that could hardly be distinguished in the dark. Black jeans and ankle boots. The silver ring on the left thumb is also striking. The earrings in the ears are barely visible. Long dark hair is loose, and a couple of naughty strands persistently fall on a beautiful face.

Clarke is simply fascinated by the brunette, not even realizing that she is literally staring at her.

\- "So, it is she?" the sister grins with the corner of her lips, crossing her arms over chest and looking at the brown-haired woman.

\- “I’m Octavia,” Blake smiles timidly and hesitantly extends her hand to the brunette, to which she only raises an eyebrow and casts a grinning glance at the outstretched hand. Doesn't respond in kind. Octavia, a little embarrassed, shyly removes her hand.

\- "I see, I'm Lexa, the sister of this fool. I don’t want to ask how you met and other dregs. If he decided to introduce you to his family, then he is determined and this is all I need to know" the brunette cuts off any attempts to insert a word to Link. - "So, I think everything is cool, and I can go," puts on a sweet smile, getting on the bike.

\- “Very welcoming,” Clarke’s voice is suddenly heard, and at that very moment she regretted that she had uttered something at all. The gaze of green eyes in the blink of an eye flashed into her blue, which made her heart a little precipitated.

\- "Who are you?" brunette sighs wearily, throwing her hands on knees.

\- “This is my best friend Clarke,” Octavia interjects, shielding her friend from the scrutinizing green eyes.

Clarke's throat was already dry. An inexplicable tremor goes all over her body from one studying look of the brunette. Lexa looks at the blonde from head to toe with a dispassionate face, as if assessing.

\- “Nice,” Lexa shrugs frivolously and starts starting the bike. - “Next time, I hope you’re less talkative,” the brunette snorts, releasing the clutch and roaring out of the hill, leaving behind puffs of smoke ...

\- “I didn't get it,” Clarke squints, turning a questioning glance at Link. He just shrugs.

\- "Do not pay attention, it's hard with her. The most important thing is that she did not send you swearing, this is a very good sign. Lexa is a very complex person, and you shouldn't dwell on her words and behavior. Her past made her that way, no need to blame her. I am happy that she accepted you," the guy is already smiling, stroking the girl on the cheek, - "and this is the main thing."

\- “I think I stepped on a rake,” Clarke mumbles to herself, staring blindly in front of her.

\- “Never mind, Clarke. It's just better to cross with her as little as possible. It is difficult to get along with her, so it is better to contact at a minimum than to irritate her."

But the blonde no longer listened to Link's words, completely immersing herself in her thoughts and realizing that she didn’t want to be in bad relations with the brunette, but on the contrary ... And now she only wanted one thing - to try her luck again to get closer to the brunette ...


	2. Distance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The story follows a cheerful female artist named Clarke Griffin. Clarke is studying at the Otis College of Art in Los Angeles with her best friend Octavia, who soon introduces the blonde to her boyfriend's sister, Alexandria Butler. A biker woman whose heart is extremely difficult to get to. Or almost impossible ...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A translation of С рассветом by KristinaKreisi  
> This fanfic was translated from Russia into English with permission of author  
> Author name: KristinaKreisi  
> Her work on website: https://ficbook.net/readfic/4009739
> 
> Sorry My English is not good so i hope you like and enjoy it

A little less than a week had passed since that evening, and all this time Clarke was immersed in her studies. Endless lectures, exams, excursions to galleries, essays and so on around and around.

Unlike Octavia, who was blown into the art department in a fair wind, Clarke was burning with art and squeezing out to the maximum. Already the second course was coming to an end, and there were only three left, and then it would be possible to safely leave this wonderful city and go home. In truth, that's what warmed Clarke's soul. Before she lost her pulse, she wanted to go on a journey. See the world that she can only observe in pictures on the Internet or in films. Sadly, everything can be changed. It only takes time ...

In the course of remembering Octavia, who is all dreaming of her Lincoln to unconsciousness, Clarke inadvertently recalls that same obstinate sister. Not that the blonde thinks about her every day and hour, but sometimes her image sometimes pops up in the mind. Clarke, as a creative person and clinging exclusively to beauty, reproduces only her image, which she so eagerly devoured all the time until the brunette showed her character. She instantly eliminated all those words that the brunette had said to her, and only left a silent image on a beautiful motorbike in the light of the night lights of Los Angeles.

From that very evening, the blonde no longer saw the obstinate biker girl, but she really wanted to see her again. The reasons why Clarke wanted to get closer to her, given the fact that she did not have to do this, did not appear in any logical way, but she knew for sure that she was already drawn to the brunette before she realized that she was not an easy one. Clarke loved everything beautiful, and if something caught her from the first minutes and firmly settled in her head and not only, then she would be drawn to it. Like the ocean that Clarke loves to the point of unconsciousness.

She didn't think of her romantically, no. She was shocked by the unusual beauty of a person like Lexa. The image of a formidable biker in the form of a beautiful girl, but with a steel character, cannot but attract.

Sometimes Clarke would sit at a lecture and, nibbling a pencil, thoughtfully blindly looked somewhere at the beginning of the audience. She occasionally reproduced that image of a brunette in her head, so as not to forget. After all, the beauty that is mesmerizing and emanating from that moment still amazed Clarke. An ordinary person would consider her as abnormal and would instantly call a psychiatric hospital, or at least advise her to see a psychiatrist, but ordinary people do not understand that artists in their own way are all abnormally normal. And everything that scares off normal people (a fair amount of rudeness on the part of a brunette), such as Clarke, will in fact slip by and, if something caught her in that, it will most likely sink the first factor.   
Yes, I think Clarke was crazy. And this is what makes her unique. Essentially who she is ...

\- “Did you heard that Mr. Ford and we are going on a two-day hike next week,” O sighs, sprawling lazily on the table. Clarke just smiles as she stuffs her things into her backpack.

\- "Yes, and it's great," smiling, Clarke gets up and, bypassing her friend lying on the whole table, begins to go down to the exit.

\- "God, how could I forget that you like such crap to the bone, such as hiking," the girl grumbles, lazily walking down after her friend, leaving the streaming audience, - "to «capture»" Octavia enters the word in imaginary quotes in the air, - "all the beauty of nature on canvas," continues to grumble, and Clarke just laughs, shaking her head.

\- "Come on, it will be cool," encourages disgruntled girlfriend Griffin, heading to the dining room, - "a little break from all this fuss this is what we need, do not be boring."

\- "I'm a bore?" The brown-haired man raises her eyebrows, following next to Clarke. - "You know, I will not even argue with you, because you are outrageously strange and it is useless. You know, you're out of this world, you know at all?"

\- “Thanks, but in the know,” Griffin smiles, rolling her eyes and opening the door to the dining room, - “and you love me for that,” winks at her friend, and O just rolls her eyes.

The girls took a portion of tea and a sandwich and, having occupied a free table, began to gobble up the first meal of the day.

\- "Did you call your ancestors?" suddenly asks O, chewing her sandwich and flipping through the news feed in social. networks.

\- "Yes, the other day," Griffin shrugs in response, drawing something that only she understands in a small book of sketches, - "their endless lectures a la «behave yourself», don't drink and don't forget to protect yourself, I'm just morally exhausted ... Is it even possible to carry out the brain to a person at a distance? Unbearable, and she still wants me to come to them in the near future."

By the way, Clarke's parents live in New York. Mother is a wonderful surgeon Abigail Griffin, and father (stepfather) Marcus Kane is a district attorney. Clarke's own father passed away when she was only two years old, but Marcus became a wonderful father for her. He appeared in their lives when the blonde was only seven, and since then their family has become truly whole.

Unlike her mother, who takes everything seriously, and her principle «it is better to measure seven times, cut once», Marcus is more calm about everything, despite his such a weighty position. He is not one of those who mix personal life and work. At work and with family, these are two different people, as, in fact, they should be, but Abby is mostly a doctor in life and in the hospital. Which cannot but annoy Clarke to this day.

To say that the blonde was partly happy to leave her home is to say nothing. Jumping out from under the warm wing of her parents and going on a free flight, this is what she dreamed of almost from childhood.

Despite the fact that parents have significant statuses in society, and Clarke was worried that they would not support her in her decision to become an artist, but would insist on a more needed profession like them, she was extremely surprised when her parents fully supported her in her choice. Yes, perhaps this is another reason why she loves her old people no matter what.

\- "Say that you will come next month, you have now a a lot of studies," gestures with her hand O, looking at her friend, then at the phone display.

\- "Yes, I know," the blonde sighs, - "and I least of all now want to go there at such a time when every day is an exam. I need to think of a reason not to go there any time soon.” Clarke continues to scribble so hard that the pencil lead is practically rubbed to the base.

\- "We'll think of something," the brown-haired woman smiles encouragingly, finishing her tea, - "we have a lecture on the environment in an hour, and I urgently need headphones to withstand this misery."

\- “I still don’t understand how you got here if you don’t really like art,” Griffin asks, leaning on her hand, watching her friend fumble in her bag, trying to find a ball of rescue headphones.

\- "It's not that I don't love him, but some things are really boring, and there is no need to deny, I know that you think so too, but your «I'm a real artist» will not let you admit it, but I will answer for you and say, that some lectures here are complete tough, and believe me, they are worse than hypnosis sessions," Octavia continues to justify herself, gesturing with one hand, and with the other with fervent hope, continuing to search for a .

\- "As if you were on a hypnosis session," grins Griffin, not denying the previously said facts of her friend.

\- "No, I haven't, but that's how I feel at such lectures, unless, of course, one of them is taught by a young hot teacher, then, perhaps, at such moments, I can withstand all this, but," the girl throws up her finger, already paying attention to the grinning blue eyes opposite - "this is better than going to some accountant or lawyer, or God knows who else, which is even worse, given that I have an unrealistically short memory. I am more than sure that I have chosen the most indulgent option for myself," the brown-haired woman shrugs a trifle and continues to search for what she was looking for, - "and then, you don’t understand how hard it is for people to look for and choose a profession when you were not born with a certain talent and don’t know your place in society. It's hard how hard it is. Your talent at twenty-two has not yet been revealed, and you are already at that age when you need to decide what you want. Therefore, there are not so many options here, and you cannot judge me for this,” Octavia points her finger at her friend, while taking out the headphones.

\- “I’m not judging,” Clarke smiles at her friend, - “on the contrary, you are the most different from other artists in that you were not born with this, but achieved it yourself. Not everyone is born this way, someone achieves it himself. You're cool, O," the blonde laughs as she folds her sketchbook and stuffs it into her backpack.

\- “I know that I’m cool,” she pretends to cover her eyes and raises her chin the brown-haired, putting her hand to chest, - “you should not embarrass me, your «abnormal artist ».

\- “Hey, stop calling me that,” Griffin rolls her eyes as gets up from chair. - “It's annoying.

\- "Your boring too," immediately throws O, rising after her friend.

Having removed their trays from the table, the girls went in search of an audience where, directly, a two-hour lecture would take place.

The girls took their places and sat down more comfortably. In the understanding of Octavia, this is to plug your ears with headphones and hide behind some old, loose and not very good-smelling textbook on anatomy, taken from the farthest shelf of the library, cover your eyes with your hand and take a nap, and for Clarke it is to lean your cheek on your own hand and prick up your ears to assimilate new information.

Not that Clarke was a real nerd and, before losing her pulse, loved to learn and learn new things, but she really did not miss the moments to learn something interesting. Sometimes you can learn something that you could not even think about. Clarke enjoys listening to various stories from teachers, who sometimes stray from the topic and tell personal life stories. How they traveled and what they saw. About some situations that happened to them when they were still students and went to practice in different countries. The blonde liked all this. And, perhaps, for her it was much more interesting than just listening to music. And then, such moments helped her out more than once. It is many times easier to answer on the exam when you listened to lectures and as a sign that you are not hopeless and know at least something on the subject, Clarke did not get confused and repeatedly used the examples that she had previously heard in lectures. She knew how to intelligently manage the information that she received from various objects, and could use it to its true worth.

And now the blonde is completely immersed in the lecture, not noticing how the day is drawing to a close ...

*****

\- “Hey,” Octavia’s voice can be heard coming out of the shower, - “I wanted to ask,” she begins, walking up to her bed and standing in front of Clarke, lying and reading something.

\- "Mmm?" just hums the blonde, turning over the page of some banal novel. Octavia dries her hair with a towel and sighs, sits on the edge of her bed.

\- "How do you like his sister?"

From such an unexpected question, Clarke almost choked on air, and for some unknown reason, her heart began to frantically pierce her ribs. She was already staring blindly at the book, slowly losing the thread of history and already completely immersed in her thoughts. On the machine, the image of the brunette surfaced in her head again. And that doesn't take into account the fact that Clarke doesn't quite understand which way this question is inclined. What does she mean?

\- "What do you mean?" echoes her thoughts Clarke, casting a narrowed glance at the brown-haired woman.

\- "Well, I mean her, well ..." the girl moved her eyebrows to the bridge of her nose, obviously overcoming some kind of thought process to find the right words, - "character. Do you understand? Well, she's like that, I don't know," shrugs, - "heavy or something. And I, damn it, worry that she did not like me ..."

Clarke breathes a sigh of relief.

\- "O, damn it, don't take it into your head," Clarke closes the book and immediately takes a sitting position, putting the book down, - "she approved of you, and this is the main thing. It doesn't matter how, but she approved. Do you think someone like her approved of all of Link's exes? I think not,” Griffin consoles her friend, getting out of bed and going to the kitchen, - "about her character," the blonde from the kitchen continues to say, starting to scour the refrigerator. - “I don’t know her a damn thing, but I could already understand for sure that she is a clump. Do you understand? Such people are closed from others and open to their own. Were you embarrassed by the way she don't gave a fuck about you?"

\- “A little,” O shrugs, running a hand through wet hair and sitting down on the chair next to Clarke. The blonde is still looking for something. - "What are you looking for there?"

\- "Milk," the blonde mutters under her breath, - "found it," the blonde exclaims quite and, closing the refrigerator, puts the kettle on. - “In short,” Clarke continues, sitting down in a chair next to her friend as the kettle starts to boil, - “you shouldn't pay attention to this. Did you see how she bared her teeth on me? My punch started, but despite this, I ignored her. We don't know her. And, perhaps, she will warm up to you over time, when she realizes that you and Link are really serious, and she should put up with you and accept you. Until then, you should endure it. Hell, who knows, maybe she was not in the mood then, so we got under the hot hand, but in fact she is a kind-hearted person," Clarke is already smiling.

\- "You yourself believe in it?" grins O.

\- “No, I don’t believe, but who knows,” Griffin shrugs, getting up from her chair and turning off the kettle, - “and then, Link said that she had a difficult past, maybe because of this she was throwing away all the new ones. In general, I will not lecture you on psychology, but simply say that you should be patient and that's it. She will love you, you'll see."

\- “I hope, because he insists that I spend more time with his company."

\- "Wow, how is that?" Clarke raises eyebrows, pouring milk into the coffee.

\- "It's like spending time with them more often in order to join his «family»," the brown-haired woman rubs the bridge of her nose tiredly.

\- "And what do you think about this?"

\- “I think it's a good idea,” Octavia says earnestly.

\- "Me too," the blonde shrugs, sitting down next to her friend, - "this is a great chance to get closer to her. You will always callou before her eyes, and she will soon get used to you, and everything will be on the ointment."

\- "And you will be with me," the brown-haired woman states the fact.

\- "What?" Says Clarke, sighing in displeasure.

\- "What you heard," the friend immediately throws in response, - "it will be a hundred times easier for me with you. And don't tell me you didn't like their company. Looking for adventure on your creative ass? I give them to you. I'm sure you found the biker subculture very interesting and you liked it there, so don't deny it, and then, you need to relax after so many couples, lectures, fucking exams and all that stuff. And they will let you really relax, so ..." O shrugs her shoulders, and grins maliciously, seeing her friend's rolled eyes.

\- “Damn, O,” the blonde hums, admitting defeat, - “you’ll bring me to the grave.”

\- “Don't exaggerate,” she waves her hand, taking a cup of coffee from a friend and shamelessly sipping a good sip of goodies ...

*****

Scorching sun, wild heat radiating from the desolate land. The smell of gasoline and exhaust fumes is getting more and more distinct to the girls arriving at their destination.

Not a small house is located at a certain distance from other similar ones. A large garage in which another motorbike Raven and Monty are already renovating. Outside the garage, other biker cars are lined up in a row. Someone, leaning on their motorcycle, watches the work of the mechanics and commands them to do something, and someone, sitting on the porch, is enthusiastically talking about something. From the bowels of the garage comes music that is not annoying with its volume, making the atmosphere very productive and to some extent family.

\- “Whoa, what people,” a satisfied voice comes from the side of the house, and the girls, turning their heads, see Luna in the doorway, leaning against the doorframe.

\- "Hi," the girls say in unison, uncertainly approaching the porch of the house.

\- “Hi,” the girl smiles in response, - “I already thought you’re not show up to us anymore,” she continues, lightly pushing Octavia in the shoulder.

\- "Studying takes a lot of time," O justifies herself, shrugging her shoulders guilty.

\- "Nothing, but I'm glad that you spend your free time with us," Luna is sincerely happy. - "Um, you can walk around the territory of the house for now, and for now I will tell Link that you have come."

\- “Okay,” the girls answer in unison again, relaxing a little ...

*****

\- “Sometimes I want to strangle her with my own hands,” breaks a disgruntled growl from the lips of the brunette, who has just drowned out the wild roar of her motorbike.

\- “Damn, don’t get boil,” Anya replies sharply, getting off her motorbike, - “the only thing you can do is ignore her attacks. Can understand her, Lexa," the friend continues to scold the boiling girl.

\- "And what about me? A? Impossible? Does anyone understand me?" Growls almost in the face of Lexa's friend.

\- “Lexa,” the brown-haired woman sighs.

\- "What Lexa?! Mmm ?!" the brunette snorts in displeasure, and immediately takes off, heading for the garage. - “Monty, give me a wrench ten inches,” the brunette demands a little irritated. He immediately silently nods and, finding the right one, gives it to the btunette.

Lexa immediately went to her motorbike to tighten a few nuts at the base of the engine.

\- "You overreact. Already two years have passed, you could have behaved more restrained during this time," Anya continues to read morals, leaning her hips on motorbike and watching her friend poke irritably in the motorbike engine when it is mostly not required. But Anya understands that the brunette has had a fad on this since then. And if she is so calmer, then so be it.

\- “I’m still reacting normally,” the brunette throws in response, wiping the sweat from her forehead, - “hell, this heat too. The seventh hell-fire," Lexa mutters under her breath, already clearlybecoming a little calmer.

The brunette gets up from her haunches and immediately pulls off her denim vest, remaining in one loose T-shirt. The tattoo on her arm is now clearly visible, showing in all its glory. An uncomplicated pattern, but clearly has a certain meaning for the brunette herself. A meaning that should be kept secret for everyone.

Throwing the vest on the motorbike tank, the brunette again wiped off the protruding beads of sweat on her forehead, and then, walking her hand through hair, sighs tiredly, closing eyes and folding her hands on belt. Raises her head higher towards the sun, and relaxes slightly, feeling the gaze of her friend at her back.

\- “I know you're worried,” the brunette says more calmly, still enjoying the scorching sun with her eyes closed.

\- "And still continue to worried," Anya retorts, smiling slightly.

\- “I'm fine, it's just ...” the brunette sighs and shrugs, - “I need to boil sometimes, you know?"

\- "I understand," the brown-haired woman nods, continuing to listen to the already calm voice of her friend, glad that she has cooled down a little.

\- "This all the crap knocks the whole spirit out of me," the brunette wipes the wet droplets from her upper lip and, sighing, bends down and picks up the key.

\- "In any case, we are with you, and we will help you not to go crazy," Anya encourages her, and brunette grins, still standing with her back to her friend.

The brunette laughs, examining the bike, and freezes, still standing with her back to the girl and the house. She twitched her ear, hearing some kind of laughter behind, and how they are cheerfully discussing something. An unknown girl's laugh, but voices ...

\- “Fuck, don’t tell me that I hear the voices of those retarded?” the brunette cursed aloud and to herself, sighing and turning to face the house, her friend and guests.

\- "Oh, it looks like they are," Anya smirks, glancing either at the guests with whom Lincoln is actively talking, then at her friend, whose green eyes sparkle small lights that strive to grow into a flame.

\- "Damn it, why the hell did he bring them here? It was not in my plans for this punks to invade the territory of my house," Lexa grumbles displeasedly, which only amuses her friend.

\- "Come on, they are not that small, only three years younger than you, relax, and then, they are cute, and Link likes her, and you should accept, well," Anya tries to calm down the boiling brunette.

\- "Are you serious now?" Lexa raises an eyebrow, turning a surprised look at Anya. - "What, were you replaced when I was in the store or what?"

\- "Stop it, I'm serious. We all live on, and you should too. And by «further» I mean to let new people into the family. Clear? Don't be an ass," Anya waves her hand.

\- "Come on," the brunette throws and begins to slowly approach the «talkers».

Clarke is already a little relaxed thanks to Lincoln and Luna intervening. They discussed a quick trip to the lake outside the city, and the guys told the girls how they go there every year and told funny stories about their mini-hike. The girls were incredibly excited about this proposal.

And all would be fine, but Clarke's gaze accidentally caught on one image, which completely nailed her gaze to itself.

She watches the brunette slowly approach to them. Clarke caught a glimpse of her appearance: all the same black ankle boots, a little dusty from the desert sand, black jeans tucked into boots and a loose white T-shirt. The brunette looks incredibly cool, so to speak. Leather gloves are visible on her hands, and in one hand she notices a wrench, and the blonde is horrified for a second that if brunette decides to hit them with the fittings, because they pinned themselves on her territory, but she immediately rejects this crazy idea, understanding the whole the absurdity of their thoughts. She's just nervous.

\- "And how is this to be understood?" Lexa gives voice, coming closer to the guys. Clarke only swallows loudly, watching the brunette lightly throw the key to Monty who is standing next to her and he immediately catches it, and meanwhile the green eyes are gazing at the guests. - "Rey, I need you to look at the suspension, there is something creaking, and I don't like it," the brunette throws to the mechanic and, again turning her eyes to the guests, raises her eyebrows inquiringly, - "Well? I'm listening to you."

\- "I invited them ... " Link begins and Lexa interrupts him immediately.

\- "It's clear that you, not me! The question is asked: what the hell ?!" the brunette crosses her arms on chest, stopping two meters from them.

\- “You know why,” he says, - “and stop acting like that. No one here is against it, and I ask that you, too, be indulgent."

\- "Have you all conspired here or what? M?" Lexa raises her eyebrows, waving hand. - “Okay, your girlfriend,” she glances at the slightly pale Octavia, - “but what has she forgotten here?" casts a glance at Clarke, and at the same moment the blonde wanted to sink into the ground.

\- “Don't start,” Link rolls his eyes in defense of the blonde. - “She has the same right to be here as Octavia."

\- “I completely agree with him,” Luna interjects, which is why she immediately gets a resigned glance from the Commander, - “no one is against it, except you. Damn Lexa, just leave it and relax."

The brunette screwed up her eyes unkindly and nevertheless, looking at first one, then the second girl, she sighed.

\- “Okay,” the brunette says, lazily pulling off her glove, first one, looking at her hands, then the other. She stacks them on top of each other and stuffs them into the back pocket of her jeans. - "Let it be so," she shrugs and continues to walk on, passing the guests, slightly brushing the stunned Clarke with her shoulder. - "Come on, bring all the rabble into our house, and we will have a big, Swedish, damn, family," the brunette throws up her hands, backing away.

Clarke grins at the brunette's «joke» and barely suppresses a laugh, but Lexa noticed this and flashed an unkind light at the blonde, which immediately made her face a brick.

\- "They already pissed me off," she waves her hand, - "do you hear ?!" the brunette shouts to Anya, who remained in the old place. - "Did you want to replenish your family? Take it! God," she sighs, - "how all this pisses me off," the brunette rubs her temples tiredly, glancing sideways at the grinning blonde.

\- “You're too nervous,” Clarke says, and immediately regrets what she said. Lexa freezes with a raised hand at her temple, and raising eyebrows in surprise, folds her hands on belt.

\- “You're making me nervous, blondie,” the brunette snorts, which makes Clarke dig into the ground, just not to experience such a gaze of the greens on herself.

\- "And how?" Griffin throws up the courage, lifting her chin proudly. The light in Lexa's eyes flashed with renewed vigor. She was clearly infuriated by the newcomer and was eager to leave her company.

Almost everyone is watching the skirmish between the girls and is sincerely surprised at Clarke's courage, who seems to be not at all afraid to walk on the edge of a knife. But we know that she is scared to death of an unpredictable reaction from the brunette, and a hurricane of thoughts has already flashed through her head, how the brunette can take revenge on her. From the moment where she hit her with a wrench, to the point where she throws her off the cliff.

\- "With all. You just piss me off, okay ?!" the brunette snorts. - "Please try as little as possible to annoy my eyes, okay? I have enough of the fact that you put roots in my family,” Lexa throws roughly and, once again glancing at the girls, retreats away.

\- “She’s very kind,” Clarke sneers, still looking in the direction where the brunette was just standing.

\- "I'm sorry for my sister's behavior, she is rarely like this ..."

\- "It's all right," Clarke soothes the worried Lincoln, - "I think I can keep my distance ..."

\- “I'm sure she will get warmer soon, it just takes time,” Luna intervenes.

\- "Yes," Clarke nods. - "The only question is ... how much?"


	3. Is there any progress

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The story follows a cheerful female artist named Clarke Griffin. Clarke is studying at the Otis College of Art in Los Angeles with her best friend Octavia, who soon introduces the blonde to her boyfriend's sister, Alexandria Butler. A biker woman whose heart is extremely difficult to get to. Or almost impossible ...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A translation of С рассветом by KristinaKreisi  
> This fanfic was translated from Russia into English with permission of author  
> Author name: KristinaKreisi  
> Her work on website: https://ficbook.net/readfic/4009739
> 
> Sorry My English is not good so i hope you like and enjoy it

\- "Well, well," a voice with notes of curiosity and, to some extent, playfulness comes from the entrance to the kitchen, - "this is already interesting," the brunette does not calm down, leaning on the doorframe and examining the picture that has drawn in front of her eyes.

The moon flutters by the stove, cooking everyone's favorite bacon and eggs. Bell is around beside her, making coffee and reading something in the morning newspaper. At the table, Link and Octavia are sitting, actively arguing something between each other, and next to them laughing ... Clarke.

Seeing Lexa at the entrance with curiosity watching this whole situation, Clarke's mood instantly evaporated. At that very second, the blonde wanted to evaporate and never appear in front of the obstinate person again.

Her gaze timidly rose into the green eyes of the brunette studying the situation, and their gazes immediately met. Lexa was already staring at the timid blonde, mentally grinning at her accomplished goal of scaring the girl. Lexa is clearly pleased that she can keep the upstart in her line.

The brunette continues to look at Clarke, but the most indifferent mine plays on her face, but the light in her eyes still flickers clearly. While the girls play peepers, they don't notice how everyone else is staring at Lexa as well, not knowing what to expect. And the first one breaks the silence Clarka.

\- "Well," clearing her throat and glancing at the unfinished coffee, the blonde spoke up, - "um, I think" she was about to get up when she heard the words in response:

\- “You don’t have to think, just do it,” Lexa threw in immediately, and Clarke seemed to her to become paler than the album sheet.

The blonde swallowed loudly, intending to get up again, so as not to inflict problems on herself, when she suddenly feels cool fingers on her shoulders, which slightly press her into the chair, preventing her from getting up, and she immediately shudders again, hearing a hot whisper near her ear:

\- "Relax, I was joking," a slight grin barely touches her ear, causing all of Clarke's insides to squeeze into a small lump, and a barely noticeable herd of goose bumps ran all over her neck. Lexa clearly felt the blonde's body tighten under her fingers. - "You can finish your coffee," already moving away from the crazed Clarke, threw the brunette with a grin on her lips, in response to which she received contemptuous looks from the family. 

\- "Okay," she sighs, pouring herself a portion of the drink, - "hang around here as long as you like, and I don't even want to know what the hell are you doing at my house since the morning," Lexa shrugs, grabbing a piece of bacon from Link's plate, - "but I sincerely hope you don’t live here yet, or then it will be really weird."

\- “The girls stayed with us for the night yesterday,” Luna interjects, continuing to cook.

\- “I don’t care, just not to settle here."

\- “Lexa,” Link holds out, glaring at his sister with an unkind look.

\- "What Lexa? I clearly expressed my position, and I don't need shelter here,” the brunette snorted and, taking a sip of coffee, went to the exit from the kitchen. - "Who has the keys to Barry? I need to get Jack out of the clinic."

\- “Don't be principled, please,” Luna draws out, turning her gaze into green eyes.

\- "Where are the keys?" ignores the request of Lexa's friend.

\- "Lexa!" Pulls out a satisfactory answer from brunette Luna, staring into her eyes. Lexa looks back, then at the sitting guests and again at her friend. Rolling her eyes and sighing heavily, the brunette replies:

\- "Okay, I'll stop. Now where are those fucking keys?"

\- “Raven have,” Luna immediately throws, pleased with herself, returning to the eggs.

\- “Could have guessed,” Lexa rolls her eyes as she leaves the company of family and guests.

\- “It was…” Octavia breaks the lingering silence, who all this time, together with Bell, has been listening to the unfolding scene in silence.

\- “Much better than yesterday,” Bell puts in his note, sipping hot coffee with a grin.

\- “Clearly progress has begun,” Clarke snaps, sipping coffee nervously and still moving away from what was a couple of minutes ago.

\- “She’s not really like that,” explains Sister Link, - “she’s having a hard time lately. Routine problems undermine her a little, but she again wedges into the old channel. I just ask you to be patient. She will get warmer and get used to it. Lately it has been shutting itself off even from Us. There are good reasons for this, and we do not blame her."

\- “I understand,” Clarke says, - “and it's okay. I'm starting to get used to it, - a slight smile played on the girl's face. Link only smiles back and nods gratefully.

\- "Who are Jack and Barry?" Octavia suddenly gives a voice and what immediately causes laughter from new friends, - "what?"the girl raises her eyebrows in bewilderment, glancing first at Link, then at a couple at the stove.

\- “Barry is a car (black Chevrolet Silverado),” Bell explains, while his friends keep laughing, - “Rey loves to name her favorite things here."

\- “God, this is great,” Clarke laughs as he finishes her drink.

\- “Yes, it's fun,” Link shrugs, - “and Jack is a dog (Black Bernese Mountain Dog). Um, we got it as soon as we bought this house. The other day he fell ill, and we decided to leave him for a couple of days in the clinic under observation."

\- “Oh, I love dogs,” Clarke exclaims, genuinely happy about it.

\- "Yes, Clarke generally loves all living things. If she had her will, she would have dragged all the homeless animals into the hostel, by God," teases her friend Octavia, chuckling.

\- "Lexa also loves animals," Link throws up his hand, - "sometimes, even more than the people around her."

\- "Look, you now have something in common, and it's not so bad," Luna encourages the slightly faded Clarke, as soon as the conversation about the brunette comes up.

\- "Yeah," holds out the blonde. The blonde looks into the phone display and sighs. - "Oh, we have to go. The first couple is with Miss Robins, and she will kill us if we are late."

\- “We’ll give you a lift,” Link gets up from his chair, looking out the window and noticing Lexa driving out of the garage.

\- "Oh, that'll be great," O smiles. And Clarke just swallows hard, getting Luna and Bell's sympathetic look.

\- "Hey, Lex!" beckons Sister Link, going down the stairs. - “We’ll give the girls a lift to college,” and immediately adds, seeing an unkind light in her green eyes, - “we are on our way."

\- "You know, I won't even say anything. I'm sure you can feel in your ass what I want to tell you and what I want to do.” Lexa puts on a wry smile as she throws her out of the driver's seat and with one foot still on the ground, shaking out the mat.

\- "Believe me, I feel," the brother answers with satisfaction, calling the girls with his hand.

For the first fifteen minutes of the ride, everyone in the car was silent. Lexa drove in a relaxed manner, her hand out and enjoying the hot air from the scorching sun. Link kept glancing at his sister. He clearly wanted to talk to her, because lately Lexa has become more antsy than before. Well, Octavia and Clarke just silently looked down at the windows, praying that a new skirmish would not start again, which could certainly be due to Lexa's attitude towards Clarke. Nobody wanted that.

\- "Would you like to talk about what happened yesterday at the store?" Link still said, looking at his sister's calm profile. She just rolled her eyes.

\- "Anya reported?" the brunette grins, stopping at a red light and already turning a fleeting glance at her brother.

\- "Yes," he honestly answers.

Sitting in the back seat of a pickup truck, the girls silently cast their eyes first at the brunette, then at the guy. They would have come faster than the family showdown begins, in which it is clearly better for them not to participate.

\- "Where are you going?" glances into Lexa's rearview mirror, looking at the girls.

\- “To Otisovsky,” Octavia says, perplexed. Lexa just grins, still delighted with the effect on the girls.

\- “God, relax,” the brunette grins, looking in the mirror.

The girls became a little more relaxed, but still remained alert, ready to catch Lexa's taunts at any moment. She just got under way again, continuing on her way and still ignoring her brother.

\- “Lexa,” Link says again. He was clearly infuriated by the whole situation: the fact that Lexa closed herself off from him and did not talk about what she would have shared earlier; what happens between her and the girls, and especially Clarke, whom she keeps offend.

\- “Look, I don’t want to talk about this, okay?" The brunette again casts a fleeting glance at her brother, saying clearly that she is not up to it.

\- “That’s what worries me, Lexa,” Link gestures, continuing to look at his sister. Lexa continues to maintain a calm expression, occasionally squinting because of the bright sun, which sometimes breaks through the protective visor.

\- “Nothing to worry about, okay?" Lexa answers a little more firmly, giving his brother a serious look. - "I'm fine, even your girlfriend and girlfriend's friend accepted, what else do you want?" the brunette throws up her hand, turning at the turn.

\- "I am grateful to you for that," he answers, - "but you know what interests me now," Link does not calm down, which causes obvious irritation in the brunette.

\- “I don’t know,” Lexa says immediately, continuing to drive. Leaning her hand on the door, the brunette begins to rub her temple a little irritatedly. She clearly doesn't like this conversation.

\- “I’m talking about Nia and the fact that you had a skirmish again,” the guy says sharply when he’s tired of beating around the bush.

\- "The same as usual for the last two years, oh, and wait," the brunette mockly throws up her hand, - "and for all the time that we know each other. She hated me immediately, and I hated her. I thought to that you are used to it," the brunette shrugs innocently.

\- “Everything has changed now, Lexa. You both, instead of spreading rot on each other, needed at least a little sympathy. You both suffered, and it would have united ordinary people, but you continue to be at enmity to this day," he paused and, casting a glance out the window, said a little more quietly: - "She would not appreciate this ..."

\- “Stop it,” Lexa hissed unkindly, casting a hard look at the guy.

\- “Stop here,” Clarke suddenly says sharply, defusing the situation as they pulled up to campus.

\- "This is cute," Lexa smirks, looking out of the window at the huge building.

\- “Thanks for dropping us,” Octavia says, clearly still embarrassed by the family showdown. Lexa just looks around the building, not paying attention to the girls getting out of the car. She continues to sit in silence, tapping her thumb on the steering wheel, and from each knock, light sounds of metal hitting the steering wheel are heard when the ring on the thumb touches its surface.

\- “See you later,” Link puts on a smile, bending over and peering through his sister’s window to see his girlfriend.

\- “Okay,” she smiles, waving her hand.

While the doves coo, Clarke looked down at Lexa, frowning a little, and she, in turn, feeling a gaze on her, threw hers towards the source of this pressure.

Lexa continues to stare into the blue eyes opposite, and she is clearly amused by the fact that Clarke is not going to take her eyes off. The brunette decided to measure her strength, eager to find out who would turn it back first.  
Lexa had definitely understood from the first meeting that Griffin was clearly not a fool and could compete with anyone except ... except Lexa. And the brunette was clearly determined to show it.

When the doves finished cooing and it was time to leave, the brunette completely calmly smiled with the corner of her lips and winked at Clarke, and at the same moment they started to move, leaving the campus.

To say that Clarke was shocked is to say nothing. The blonde even got a tight throat, and for some unknown reason her heart beat twice as fast as normal, either from fear, or from excitement, or for some reason, but the blonde was clearly at a loss, and Lexa was clearly pleased with her one more small victory ...

\- "This blondie is kind of scared," the brunette grins, changing to another lane.

Some country band started playing in the salon, and the brunette made it a little louder, enjoying a pleasant sound. Leaning her hand on the door again, the brunette began to enjoy the warm rays of the sun and the beautiful weather.

\- “She’s normal and quite capable of giving you the fight you deserve,” Link grins, looking down at the road and kicking the rhythm.

\- "Reject me?" Lexa grins, eyebrows raised. - "Ha, do not be ridiculous," the brunette laughs, turning at the turn.

\- "Why are you grinning at her?"

\- "I didn't grin," the brunette shrugs triflingly, - "well," nods, - "maybe a little. She just pissed me off something. So strange and clings like a leech to everything."

\- “She's not weird,” Link justifies Clarke. - “She's an artist, that's all.

\- "And this justifies her in the fact that she stares all the time?" Lexa raises her eyebrows, grinning.

\- "Quite, you know. People like her love to watch ... Well, you know, to memorize some details. Hell, who cares what she's staring at. You also love to do this, driving people into paint," the brother rolls his eyes.

\- "God, found something to compare," the brunette shakes her head, parking the car in the parking lot.

\- "I do not compare. Damn Lexa, I'm asking you to be gentle with her. I ask you. She's a great girl, and I sincerely don't understand why you treat her and Octavia this way," Lincoln continues to insert his note, getting out of the car.

\- "Okay, I'll try, happy?" the brunette slams the car door, waving her hand in agreement.

\- "More than," the guy smiles sincerely, gently pushing his sister in the shoulder, heading to the clinic.

*****

\- “It was really much better today,” Octavia notes the success in communication with Lexa, entering the college building.

\- "Are you kidding?" the blonde raises an eyebrow, showing the pass to the security.

\- “No,” the friend immediately replies, doing the same as Clarke, - “I'm serious. She's already getting warmer. A little more, and she will get used to and will completely ignore our presence or pretend that she does not care. Everything is better than I could imagine."

\- "Not a damn thing better," the blonde runs her hand through hair, sighing heavily, - "have you seen what she was doing?"

\- "You mean what happened this morning?" the friend smirked maliciously, casting a sidelong glance at Griffin, - "or that she winked at you?"

\- "What?!" Clarke immediately exclaims, clearly embarrassed by such words from the brown-haired woman.

\- “God, you've turned red like a cancer,” Octavia laughs, continuing to walk next to the crazed Clarke. - "What are you? Thought I hadn't noticed? God, she's playing with you. You know, it's like, um," O thought for a moment, formulating her thoughts in a sensible heap, - "a game. Game «who will fold faster», and you know what, friend?" the brown-haired woman puts her hand on Clarke's shoulder. - "This game is played by two, and you are obviously losing so far ..."

*****

After going up to the required floor and talking with the doctor, the guys made sure that Jack was completely healthy and that he was not in danger. The brunette sighed with relief, glad of this news, and having signed a couple of papers, they went to their beloved pet.

\- "Hey, baby, hello," the brunette smiles sincerely, seeing the baby healthy and full of energy. The dog, wagging its tail and whining with happiness, began to spin in the cage, waiting for it to be released, and he could jump into the arms of his owners. - "How do you? Did you miss?" to which the dog began to bark. - "I missed you too," the brunette lisps with her pet, waiting for the doctor to open the cage and release the baby.

Of course, the definition of «baby» is clearly an understatement, because the dog itself was far from small, and if he wanted, he could easily have knocked the mistress on her shoulder blades. Lexa has always loved big dogs and was immensely happy when their puppy grew to this size.

\- "It seems to me that only Jack can receive such tenderness and a smile from you," Link jokes, watching from the side as the dog immediately rushed to his mistress.

\- "Don't be jealous," the brunette throws over her shoulder, scratching her pet behind the ear and kissing him near the ear, to which she receives a slobbering response from the baby, - "Phew, Jack, stop," the brunette laughs, wiping her face from the traces of the dog's «love».

\- "These vitamins he needs to be given twice a day," the doctor begins, holding out the leaf to Link, - "you can crush and pour into the feed, as convenient.

\- "Okay, thanks," the guy politely thanks, looking at the leaf, - "and how much?"

\- “Two weeks, I think, will be more than enough,” the doctor replies.

\- “Thank you very much,” Lexa thanks the doctor again, attaching the leash to Jack’s dog-collar. - “Good day.

Lexa walks over to the car and opens back door.

\- "Jump, kid," the brunette gives the command, and he, wagging tail, immediately jumped into the pickup, obviously glad that he was again in favorite place. Lexa lowers the glass slightly so the dog can stick his face out and enjoy the warm breeze on the way home. He loves it very much.

\- “By the way,” Link began, clearly not knowing how to say what was going to be.

\- "What?" Lexa throws, not looking at his brother, slamming the car door and inserting the key into the ignition.

\- “The girls are going to the lake with us,” Link blurts out immediately, as soon as the car starts to move.

\- "Repeat?" Lexa hissed, turning an unkind glance at her brother.

\- “I repeat,” he retorts, - “they are going to the lake with us."

\- "It's a family tradition to go there. Family," the brunette clearly spoke the last word, lightly tapping her hand on the edge of the steering wheel, - "this is already too much, Link."

\- "I don’t think so, and the guys too," the guy defends himself, - "I think they can be there. It will be great."

\- "I would kill you now, but I can't, because the car bothers me, but you should know, in my head you are a corpse."

\- "I knew that you would agree," the brother smiles blindingly, leaning a little closer to his sister and kissing her on the chek, - "you are the best sister in the world."

\- “Shut up,” she rolls her eyes, bringing another smile to her brother’s face.

*****

\- "And she will be there too?!" Clarke exclaims, flopping onto the soft bed.

\- “Naturally, but this is only for the best,” Octavia consoles her friend, sitting down on the bed opposite the blonde, - “talk a little, maybe. Perhaps you play your game of «who will win» and everything will be cool. I’m sure,” the brown-haired woman waves her hand in a trifling way.

\- "Do you want my death? I'm sure Lexa wants and will not pass up the chance to drown me in that lake to get rid of the source of her annoyance," Griffin snorts, getting out of bed and heading to the closet in search of a replacement T-shirt and shorts.

\- "Do not exaggerate."

\- “I’m minimize,” the blonde immediately threw over her shoulder, pulling off her T-shirt.

\- “Damn, everything will be great, I assure you."

\- "And when are we going?" Clarke throws a little irritated, turning to face her friend.

\- "Tomorrow," she immediately replies, - "for the whole weekend," Octavia does not hold back a satisfied smile, - "it will be great."

Clarke just stared at her friend, her hands folded at her waist. And, sighing, she answers resignedly:

\- "It will be bloody how great ..."


	4. Let's play together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The story follows a cheerful female artist named Clarke Griffin. Clarke is studying at the Otis College of Art in Los Angeles with her best friend Octavia, who soon introduces the blonde to her boyfriend's sister, Alexandria Butler. A biker woman whose heart is extremely difficult to get to. Or almost impossible ...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A translation of С рассветом by KristinaKreisi  
> This fanfic was translated from Russia into English with permission of author  
> Author name: KristinaKreisi  
> Her work on website: https://ficbook.net/readfic/4009739
> 
> Sorry My English is not good so i hope you like and enjoy it

\- "Not dawn, and you are already here?" the first thing that girls hear when they enter the Butlers' house from the lips of a brunette.

Lexa, walking down from the second floor in one T-shirt and sweatpants, could not hold back her taunt when she saw the girls. It amuses her to see how they literally evaporate when she begins to mock them.

Clarke at first, as usual, was confused and three times wished that a meteorite fell on the house, so as not to be mocked by the brunette, but, pulling herself together, the blonde proudly lifted her chin and grinned. Yes, perhaps Clarke can tolerate all this if she plays by the rules of a brunette.

\- “Good morning to you too,” Clarke says as if nothing had happened, walking into the living room, where Luna and Jasper were already scampering in search of things.

Lexa just smirked and, putting a strand of hair behind ear, winked at the blonde and, descending the stairs, went to the kitchen, leaving Clarke again in a daze.

\- "Better now," Octavia leans into her friend's ear, winking.

\- "Are you kidding me? I almost got my heart out of my throat,” Clarke snorts as he walks into the living room.

\- "And it looked quite confident," the girl grins.

\- “Then I’m a great actress and should have gone to the faculty of acting, not design,” Griffin rolls her eyes, in response to which she again receives a chuckle from her friend.   
\- "Good morning," the blonde puts on a smile, attracting the attention of the owners.

\- "Oh, good," Luna smiles, carrying some bags from the closet, - "are you ready?"

\- "I think so," smiles O.

\- “Great.” Luna drops one of the bags, and Clarke immediately runs over to help.

\- "Let me help, where is it?" taking the bags from the girl's hands, Griffin specifies.

\- "Thanks, um, it's in the pickup. Let me show you how to get out to the garage."

\- “It's okay, I think I can find it,” Clarke smiles sweetly, walking to the door on the other side of the house.

\- "Yes, there, thanks," the girl thanks Clarke when she found a way out. Luna went again to look for what they would take with them to the lake.

\- "Hey Luna, have you seen my jacket?" Lexa shouts from the kitchen, trying to find her leather jacket.

\- "No, why?" having already entered the kitchen, the girl specifies.

\- "There are keys to Barry. I can't find," the brunette rolls her eyes and, sighing, trudged into the garage.

\- “You probably left her in the garage,” Luna repeats Lexa's thoughts.

\- "Thank you, I already guessed," brunette throws, leaving the garage.

Before the brunette had time to enter, she immediately stumbled upon a blonde with bags in hands. Lexa barely resisted rolling her eyes again. Clarke flashes in front of her eyes too often, and this makes her harder to endure.

\- “You’ve probably already ransacked the whole house,” Lexa grins, descending the ladder and heading into the back of the garage to her bike. She takes the jacket lying on her motorbike and starts rummaging in pockets.

\- "I didn't have time yet," Griffin immediately throws, and in response gets a slight grin from the brunette.

\- "What do you want?" Butler translates the topic, jingling the keys in her hands, and putting them in pants pocket, continues to search for a pack of cigarettes.

\- "I need to put this in ..." Clarke hesitated for a second, to which Lexa only raised an eyebrow inquiringly, suppressing her grin as hard as she could, - "... in Barry."

\- "Wonderful," she grins and, going up to the car, turns off the alarm. Walking to the back of the pickup, the brunette opened the trunk. Clarke walks to the trunk, already very close to the brunette. - “Give it over here,” Butler sighs, taking the bags from both of the blonde’s hands. Clarke just nods timidly, wanting to quickly evaporate from the gaze of green eyes.

Clarke headed back into the house, still feeling the piercing green eyes on her body.

\- "Do you like to mock a girl?" A laughing voice is heard from the other side of the garage. Raven.

\- "So noticeable?" the brunette jokes in response, getting over the wheel of the car. Rey just laughed, shaking her head.

The brunette approached to the second car (Jeep Rangler) and started it.

\- “Monty, open it,” Rey shouts to the guy at the other end of the garage.

He nods and presses the control panel, and the garage door rises.

By the way, the Butler garage is not small. It is approximately equal in size to the house itself. Containing two cars, eight bikes and plus, to all this, a workshop.

The house itself was really not small. Two floors, three bathrooms, kitchen, living room, large storage room, basement and six bedrooms. In fact, only the Butlers (Lexa and Lincoln) and Luna and Bell lived in the house. The rest had their own houses, but they spent most of their time in this house. In this house they are always welcome, they are welcome at any time of the day and are ready to shelter them even forever.

If it has speak about «shelter», then it is worth revealing a couple of cards regarding the Butler family. Lexa and Link are the children of the system. Orphans. They were originally. When Lexa was twelve and Link was fourteen, they were adopted by the Butler family.

Prior to adoption, Lexa and Link's childhoods were at least hell. Lexa hasn't been with any family for more than three months. It's not even worth talking about what hell the guys went through as children, but everything changed when Mr. and Mrs. Butler decided to adopt a child. First Lexa, and six months later Link.

The family was neither poor nor rich. Everyone was well off and everyone was happy. A small house on the outskirts of Los Angeles and father's old bike. Father was a mechanic and had a small workshop. The income was enough to support the family. After school, the children came home and helped their father to assemble a new bike from spare parts, which they sometimes found in old dumps, or, as they are also called, «automobile cemeteries». More and more, the guys stayed to help their father in his workshop.

The junior Butlers had to grow up early. When they were seventeen and nineteen, their parents died. First, the mother, and a year later, the father, leaving his workshop and home as a legacy. Everything happened quickly. The guys had to give up their college dreams and take life into their own hands, which they did. At first it was difficult for them to keep a workshop, but over time they firmly wedged themselves into this business and, having found new friends (now a family), the guys were able not only to raise their workshop, but also to start opening new ones, one after another, famous for their magnificent work. ...

The Jr. Butlers' past hasn't affected them much now. Now they have everything that they did not have before. Family, prosperity, a roof over head ...

\- "You're are more happer today, did you really have time to make fun of Clarke?" Anya's perky voice is heard when Lexa got out of the car.

\- "I didn't bother her, by the way, I was very polite. More polite than before," the brunette throws, slamming the car door, - "progress," Butler throws up her hands and gets a grin from her friend.

\- "I take your word for it."

Half an hour later, everyone left the house and, having loaded their things, everyone sat in their cars. Lexa, Link, Octavia, Clarke and Anya in a pickup truck. Ray, Monty, Jasper, Luna and Bell in a jeep. After making sure that everything was fine, the cars left the territory of the house, leaving Jack at home alone.

\- "Jack stayed at home?" Anya interrupts the silence twenty minutes later.

\- "Well, yes, the doctor said that shouldn't take the risk and take him out into the nature. Immunity is still weak, so I closed him on the second floor," says Lexa, reaching for a pack of cigarettes.

\- "Poor fellow, this is the first time he does not go there," smiles Anya, paying attention to the window, watching the beautiful view.

\- “Cope,” Butler smiles, lighting a cigarette and taking her first puff. Exhales and glances at the rearview mirror. She puffs again, watching the blonde sitting in the middle calmly snooze on her friend's shoulder.

Clarke has been having trouble sleeping at night lately. Studying is completely exhausting her, and she is sorely lacking sleep. And now, having risen, God knows what time in the morning, the blonde cheered up quite a bit and only on the road was able to satisfy her needs again. Camping should be good for her.

An hour and a half later, the guys stop at a gas station along the way. While some are asleep, some are refueling their cars. Lexa, Monty (who had an urgent need to use the toilet) and Clarke headed to the store.

While Monty was taking care of his needs, Clarke was looking for soda and a couple of bars to grab a bite to eat, because she simply didn’t have time for breakfast and has been eating very little lately. Again, study. Well, Lexa is looking for her favorite cigarettes (Marlboro), which have already ended so at the wrong time.

Finding her favorite Marlboro, the brunette headed to the checkout counter, where Clarke was already standing, placing two bars and a can of soda in front of the cashier.

\- "Hearty breakfast?" Lexa can't resisted, leaning her hips on the counter, waiting for Clarke to pay off.

\- "Do you have to tell me something?" Clarke throws back, not even looking up at the brunette. Lexa just grins, folding her arms over her chest.

\- "It has already become a habit."

\- “I have no doubt,” Griffin snorts wearily, rubbing her eyes. The blonde is clearly still weak.

\- “Two dollars and twelve cents from you,” the cashier's voice is heard.

\- “Yes, a second,” Clarke replies immediately, starting to rummage in pockets. Checked it once no. Checked it again no. The blonde frowned and began checking her pockets more carefully. «Damn it,» Clarke cursed, realizing that she had forgotten the money in the dorm, or it just fell out.

All this time Lexa watched the confused blonde, barely suppressing any caustic make fun of and grin. Watching the blonde literally shake from such an awkward situation is a lot of fun.

Clarke was about to apologize for how much wasted time and decide to return everything back, when suddenly:

\- “Count with this too,” Lexa says, placing two packs of cigarettes on Clarke's «food». Griffin's heart immediately pounded with force and immediately relieved. She looked at the profile of the brunette, not knowing if she heard it or not. One thing the blonde understood for sure - shouldn't refuse now. Hunger prevails over her not very strong pride, and therefore the blonde silently waits for the brunette to pay for the goods.

Leaving the store, Lexa immediately opened the pack and, taking a cigarette with her lips, began to set it on fire.

\- “Thanks,” Clarke says from behind, coming closer and already level with Butler. She just chuckles and, shrugging her shoulders, exhales a haze as she approaches the car.

Clarke smiled inwardly at this turn of events in their relationship. The blonde did not exactly know how to perceive such an act on the part of Lexa. Either this is really progress, and the brunette is warming up, or the usual politeness, or she wanted to quickly sort out the situation so as not to linger. But for some reason the heart told that it was most likely the first option, and the ice really broke.

*****

After another hour and a half, the guys began to drive up to the large lake through the tunnels of the forest and the rays of the sun barely making their way through the tree crowns. Having opened all the windows in the car, the guys began to enjoy the fresh air. Slightly cooler than in the sun, which definitely made the guys happy. Quietly, the birds are singing, and calm music comes from the speakers of the pickup truck.

\- “God, this is amazing,” Clarke exclaims, jumping out of the car and inhaling the fresh air.

\- “Stunned,” Octavia smiles, surveying the area.

A large lake, the shores of which are barely visible from here. Small coast and dense forest all around. Quiet and serene.

\- “Oh, finally,” Lexa sighs, getting out of the car and stretching, crunching her vertebrae with relish. She was clearly tired of sitting behind the wheel for three hours.

\- “So, guys,” Luna says, like a mother counselor, giving orders, - “first we'll lay out the tents, and then the fun. Clear?"

\- "Yeah," the others stretched out discordantly, receiving a nod from the girl in response, and immediately began to receive commands.

In general, after, probably, two hours, the guys were able to set up tents in a circle and left a place for a fire in the center. In total, the camp was set up, and the sun was already slowly setting below the horizon. The water was really summer.

\- "The water is so warm," Jasper throws, walking barefoot into the water, - "it's time to have fun!" He shouts, taking off his shirt and shorts.

Cheerful music is heard from the jeep's speakers, warming up the atmosphere even more. The bright orange sunset makes the moment even more beautiful and special.

Clarke, leaning her hips on the pickup truck, watches as the guys splash in the water and make fun of Monty, now and then picking him up and throwing him into the water. The blonde did not stop laughing, again remembering every moment as much as possible in detail, imprinting it in her memory, hoping to someday capture it on canvas, like a brunette who still lives in her memory, and not in canvas...

\- "Why aren't you coming?" a voice is heard nearby, tearing Clarke out of thoughts. The blonde turns around and sees a brunette standing next to her, on whose lips, as always, a half-smile splashes. Always mysterious and hiding many secrets and pains that Clarke does not yet know about ...

\- “I don’t want to yet,” Griffin says, glancing back to the lake. Lexa just shrugs as she walks around the blonde, walks over to the trunk of the pickup truck and begins to take off her T-shirt, remaining in her swimsuit and pants.

Clarke literally froze at this time. With her peripheral vision, she saw what the brunette was doing, but with all her strength she tried not to stare, but each time it became more difficult, and, in the end, Clarke gave up and turned her gaze to Butler.

To say that Clarke almost choked on air is to say nothing. The blonde realized with horror that she was simply shamelessly absorbing the brunette's body that opened up to her gaze: a toned body, elastic chest, an intricate tattoo on her arm and ... Clarke notices an incredibly beautiful tattoo on her entire back when Lexa momentarily turns her back on her. Lexa's body was just perfect, so much so that Clarke simply could not muster the strength to tear her gaze away. And she would have continued to stare at the brunette, if not for one thing, pulling her out of her stupor:

\- "Like it?" Lexa throws playfully, raising one eyebrow and smiling her typical half smile. Clarke felt her cheeks flush crimson, and now she really wanted to plunge into the lake in order to cool everything that the brunette was doing to her without really doing anything.

Lexa continues to smile, clearly glad again that she again caught the blondie by surprise. Lexa begins to take off her pants, remaining fully in her swimsuit, giving Clarke a glimpse of her gorgeous body.

\- “I love the tattoo,” Griffin blurts out, gathering the rest of her composure as she glances over the lake. Her heart is pounding too loudly, and in the lower abdomen she begins to sing a familiar feeling that she is starting to scare the blonde even more than it is possible.

\- "Of course, a tattoo, but what else?" innocently, as if nothing had happened, Butler is interested, again taking Clarke by surprise. Lexa definitely knew how to play these games and, moreover, was the best player.

She, as usual, winked at the blonde and headed towards the water. And Clarke again continued to look at the back of the brunette, watching as she slowly entered the water. Clarke hates herself for continuing to stare at her, and even worse for realizing that Lexa is doing this on purpose. She deliberately enters the water slowly, showing her beautiful back, and deliberately slowly plunges into the lake. Lexa knows for a fact that Clarke is watching, and she loves it. Definitely.

Clarke clearly wanted to teach the brunette a lesson somehow, and she decided to play her own card.

Taking off her T-shirt on the go, with each step approaching to the shore, the blonde lowered her shorts, letting them roll freely down her legs, remaining in one swimsuit. The black swimsuit clearly emphasized the blonde's milk skin, her beautiful breasts and no less beautiful body in general.

The blonde approached to the water and also slowly began to enter the water, catching the burning gaze of her green eyes. Lexa was definitely staring at the blonde's body, and for the first time there was no mockery in her gaze. She was quite serious and attentive, like a hunter watching a prey. She did not look away until Clarke plunged into the water with her head.

\- "Like it?" Clarke snapped, brushing her hair from her face, pulling on a slight grin, playfully raising an eyebrow. Lexa chuckled, realizing that the blondie had clearly joined her game.

The brunette first glanced at Griffin's chest, which was visible from under the water. And Clarke definitely noticed it and barely suppressed a wide smile. And then Lexa, smiling as usual, glanced into the blue eyes opposite.

\- "I like your swimsuit," the brunette smirks, - "classy," Clarke looked seriously into the green eyes opposite and after a second she laughed brightly.

Lexa understood one thing for sure the evening had just begun, and it was already getting very fun ...


	5. Let me in into your world

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The story follows a cheerful female artist named Clarke Griffin. Clarke is studying at the Otis College of Art in Los Angeles with her best friend Octavia, who soon introduces the blonde to her boyfriend's sister, Alexandria Butler. A biker woman whose heart is extremely difficult to get to. Or almost impossible ...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A translation of С рассветом by KristinaKreisi  
> This fanfic was translated from Russia into English with permission of author  
> Author name: KristinaKreisi  
> Her work on website: https://ficbook.net/readfic/4009739
> 
> Sorry My English is not good so i hope you like and enjoy it

Evening. The sun has long left the horizon, and the guys continue to have fun. For them it is in the order of things. It's okay to go to bed at dawn.

While some were sitting by the fire and ate fried marshmallows, others were spinning around a folding table, where there was already a snack and a drink. Or rather, two boxes of booze. Not that all of them are fair alcoholics, on the contrary, they allow themselves to runs wild on extremely rare occasions. And, rather, now there was that «extremely rare case.» It's worth relaxing.

Music that is not annoying hearing sounds from the car speakers. Subtle sounds of nature reach the ears of the guys. Around is quiet and calm. Such serenity, and only them. Family. Everything is very cozy and atmospheric. The way it should be.

\- "Hey, who wants cheese? The last piece is left,” Luna asks, chewing on the ham and running her eyes across the table. Silence. - "Okay, no one, then I'll eat," the girl spreads into a satisfied smile, laying the last slice behind her cheeks, which are already filled with everything at once.

\- “I think Luna has been eating too much lately,” says Raven, standing next to her, sipping a bottle of beer. Clarke raised an eyebrow, squinting slightly at the brown-haired woman.

\- "I also think so," on the other hand, Anya says, taking a bottle of beer from the refrigerator. Clarke immediately shot a glance at Anya.

\- "What are you implying?" Griffin arches an eyebrow again, taking a bite of ham and squinting at Luna, still devouring something.

\- "Maybe she's pregnant?" Raven theorizes, taking a sip. Clarke's eyes widened and she nearly choked on the cold cuts.

\- "What? Where did you get it?" Griffin asks, clearing her throat. The girls talk about Luna as if she is absolutely not a meter away from them.

\- "It's just an assumption," the brown-haired woman shrugs, - "or maybe she was just nervous about work."

Anya and Clarke nodded in agreement and silently watched the girl. And that seemed all the same. She is very passionate about the goodies on the table. The girls notice how annoyed she is. Something occasionally grumbles, understandable only to her, and curses every time she gets a bite from an insect. She waves her hand, driving away the nasty midges, and still continues to eat.

\- "What's the matter with you Lu?" suddenly asks Ray, when Luna sharply froze, staring straight ahead, and in her cheeks there is still half-eaten food. Clarke exchanged glances with the girls, and then all three turned their attention to her friend. Silence. The girls silently awaited an answer from Luna.

\- “I’m sick,” the girl suddenly says and, covering her mouth with hand, looks at the food again. She twisted slightly, leaning forward, and immediately ran away from the table. And after a couple of minutes the girls hear sounds that clearly indicate that the girl has vomited.

\- "Who else thinks it's because of work?" Clarke says, taking a bite of ham. The girls looked at each other.

\- "I'll go and check how she is there," Anya responds, putting the bottle on the table, and then leaves.

\- "What happened?" Clarkes hears the calm voice of the brunette almost at the very ear. Twitches slightly because Butler is so close and literally in contact with her back. The throat felt dry that any beer would not be enough to moisturize the dryness in mouth. This is not to mention the fact that, as if by a click, something sang in the lower abdomen.

Clarke feels a slight coolness from the brunette's body with her bare back. Clarke is wearing only a bikini bra and shorts, while the brunette is wearing a loose T-shirt that exposes her swarthy shoulders and reveals snippets of her body tattoo. And the same sweatpants rolled up to the knee.

Lexa's hair was still dripping with subtle droplets of water, and her body was a little damp and cool, as she had recently plunged into the lake again. A subtle chill ran through Clarke from the contact of her wet body with brunette's hot skin. The blonde tried not to show with her whole appearance that it not only confuses her, but also ... turns her on.

\- “Looks like Luna is pregnant,” Raven is in charge of Clarke, sipping another sip of beer.

Clarke just froze, still feeling Butler's body against her back. And only her gaze follows the brunette's hand, which reaches for the snack. And then, taking an olive from the table, the brunette threw it into her mouth and immediately moved away from the blonde, bypassing her like a pillar, getting closer to the table.

\- "Why such hasty conclusions?" Lexa raises an eyebrow, leaning both hands on the table, glancing at the still pale Clarke, then at Raven.

Usually Lexa always knows about these things. Namely, what is happening in her family. Even though the elder is Link, Lexa has always been the leader and head of the family. She is the one to whom each of them came for help and in requests for protection. Although Lexa's difficult childhood did not greatly affect her now, it still did, and precisely in the fact that if you do not protect yourself, no one will do this.

So Lexa, being a child of the system, survived just like that, when once again it was necessary to share any gift from public figures or finding with other guys who could even beat for it. But Lexa has never been easy. She immediately understood how to survive in such a world, and quickly created a significant authority not only among orphanages, but also among friends, family and society surrounding her as a whole. A brunette can not only kick some upstart's ass, but make him forget how to walk correctly when the brunette breaks all the bones in his legs. Yes, this is the side that many do not know in Lexa, and, perhaps, they should pray so that they never see it.

\- "All signs on the face. Have you noticed her any strange behavior?" Ray asks, catching the green eyes. She just shrugs.

\- "No, everything seems to be the same."

\- “I don’t think,” the brown-haired woman replies, reaching for the chips, - “I’ll have to talk to her,” Ray continued, already putting her hand on the brunette’s shoulder, and then went to the bonfire.

Clarke all this time silently listened to the girls' conversation, continuing to hold a piece of ham to her lips, blindly staring at the table. Lexa smirked as she watched the blonde. She was amused by Griffin's behavior. Her habits, her colorful reactions to anything, her daring attempts to play by Lexa's rules. Anyway, Lexa was amused by Clarke in general. She was clearly different from other girls in her eccentricity. Chudinka artist.

\- "Are you meditating or what?" Lexa still does not hold back taunting, tearing Clarke out of thoughts.

The blonde blinked and immediately cast a calm gaze into the grinning green eyes opposite. It pissed her off that Lexa was acting like this one moment, like this the next. That infuriates, then admiration (and a hurricane of other, no less pleasant feelings). And even more it infuriates her when the two poles of her essence merge into one, and she becomes «infuriated by what she likes.» Awful feeling. An ordinary person would think for sure that she has gone nuts, because you cannot see so many shades of a person and accept everything at once. Simultaneously. But people like Clarke could. Clarke could.

\- “She’s pregnant,” Clarke shrugs, bringing her thoughts together. The blonde bends forward, trying to reach the container, near which the brunette is standing. Unconsciously, Lexa's gaze fell lower and buried herself in Griffin's beautiful chest, which almost jumped out of the swimsuit. Butler immediately bit her lower lip, barely noticeable, and rubbing the bridge of her nose quickly turned her gaze to the blonde, who was still trying to reach the container.

\- "Take," taking out a bottle of beer, the brunette hands it to Clarke, but only so that she stops shining in front of her with breasts, because it will not lead to anything good. Butler's voice faded slightly to a hoarseness, and she immediately cleared her throat, wondering again. - "Why did you decide this?"

\- “As Ray said, all the signs are on her face,” the blonde shrugs, opening the bottle.

\- "Do you know the signs of pregnancy?" Lexa grins, mentally hoping that Clarke is right and that the family will have a child.

\- "My mother is a doctor," the blonde rolls her eyes, taking a sip, - "do you think I know or not?"

\- "I suppose so," crossing her arms over chest, the brunette leaned her hips on the hood of the car.

\- "In any case, I cannot know for sure, as well as any normal person. But most likely it is.” Griffin takes another sip and heads for the bonfire.

Lexa continues to stand near the car, watching the amusing friends, who are already comfortably seated around the bonfire. They make fun of each other, obviously already drunk. The brunette is torn from her own thoughts by a rustle from behind. She turns back and sees Anya and Luna emerge from the thick of the forest.

While Anya approaches to the brunette on slightly swaying legs, Luna went into her tent. Looks like her fun is over for today.

\- "How is she?" Butler asks when a friend approached to her.

\- "Not so good," she shrugs her shoulders, - "she was turned inside out, and now the only thing she needs is sleep. Let her rest. We’ll get home, and she should see the doctor."

\- “Do you think she’s pregnant too?”

\- "Now I'm sure of this a little more than ten minutes ago," the brown-haired woman smiles, looking at the friends gathered around the fire. The time of revelations is coming soon.

\- “Then we should make sure of it when we get home."

\- "Necessarily," Anya grins and, taking a bottle of beer from the container, the girls went to the others.

\- “Hey Lex,” Ray exclaims, obviously drunk, - “did you know these two were secretly driving your Mike?" (Lexa's motorbike) laughs the brown-haired woman, pointing a finger at Jasper and Monty, who have already revealed their pranks in full.

Lexa, going up to the guys, took out a cigarette from the tutu and, sitting next to Anya, grinned.

\- "I knew," she stretches out her hand in the direction of Bell's charred stick and lights a cigarette from it, and then taked in the first wave of tobacco and, lifting her head higher, exhales, smiling with the corner of her lips, - "these losers hardly cover their tracks."

\- "Oh shit," draws Jasper, throwing his wand into the bonfire, - "nothing can be hidden from Lexa," the others just laughed.

Lexa, pulling one knee closer to her, continued to sip her cigarette and listen to the drunken confessions of her friends. Almost everyone was drunk in the wood and literally carried everything they thought. It was funny to watch these teetotalers. Like Lexa. After that incident, she drinks to a minimum. Maximum a couple of sips and no more.

\- "Who else has skeletons in the closet?" Raven mutters in a tangled tongue. Everyone shrugs at once, avoiding an answer.   
\- "Clarke, are there any sins behind your nimbus?" Mmm?" the brown-haired eyebrow lifts playfully. Her gaze is already dim and barely makes eye contact with blue eyes.

Lexa immediately glared at the blonde sitting opposite her, picking at the coals of the fire with her wand. She shyly smiles and shrugs, blindly looking at the bonfire.

\- “No,” Griffin replies laconically, in response to which her receives a clatter from Octavia, who has long been in the kingdom of drunkenness.

\- "Oh, not true," the brown-haired woman waves her hand, taking the bottle from under Clarke's feet and already starting to drink her beer. Clarke just rolls her eyes and twists her head, realizing what Octavia going to blurt out. Clarke would have gagged her friend with some kind of gag when sober, but now she didn't care for the most part. - "In the first year, this hypocrite," Octi throws an intoxicated look at her friend, - "cuddled with some hot little thing at one of the parties. And if I hadn't been desperately looking for a toilet and stumbled upon these two in one of the bedrooms, then she would definitely have laid that redhead on her shoulder blades,'' Blake bursts into laughter, clearly barely realizing something.

\- “You make it sound like I'm a nymphomaniac and sleep with everyone,” Griffin grins, taking a bottle of beer from Octavia. All the guys pricked up their ears, and some with open mouths listened to the overwhelming truth about Clarke, who seemed to be the most holy person of all. Well, yes, how ...

\- "It was almost like that. God, she was almost half-naked standing, pressed by you to the table. Just like in gay movies," the brown-haired woman rolls her eyes. Clarke just shakes her head, laughing at his drunk friend.

Clarke looks up and immediately meets mocking green eyes opposite. Her heart began to pound in her ribs again, noticing a sly grin on the green-eyed lips and a narrowed gaze in her direction.

\- "Wow," says Butler, drawing in a new wave of tobacco, and then slowly exhales, continuing to look directly into rushing blue eyes, - "it turns out that our blondie is a dark horse," Lexa smirks, drawing in tobacco again.

Clarke was ready to swear that she had the feeling again. A feeling of a sudden surging excitement from the words of the brunette and at the same time a spectrum of other feelings in which irritation, a certain fear and excitement flashed. The brunette began to play again, and the situation did not get better when she understood the other side of the blonde. And she obviously liked Clarke's dark side ...

Then everything floated on. The music has become a little louder, and the guys are more active. All began (not quite steadily) to dance near the bonfire. Jump and hum just something legible after the song. The only one who remained sober and sane is Lexa. The brunette lay down on the ground, leaning her back against a tree trunk nearby the bonfire, she just silently watched the guys and to some extent protect them from nonsense, because they already almost didn't thinking clear.

Bell had gone to Luna's tent a long time ago. Octavia and Link sat down on the beach and just chatted, secluded from everyone. Anya, Raven, Jasper, Monty and Clarke, on the contrary, were not going to give up and only warmed up more. Clarke went for a full walk. The bottle in her hand has clearly served as a test.

The blonde dances with her eyes closed and shaking her hips to the beat of the music, continuing to hold the bottle in her hands and spilling half of the liquid on the ground, but this is no longer of interest to anyone. The blonde shakes her head, takes a sip and continues to dance in the center of the small circle of friends.

This went on for a while, and all this time Lexa did not take her eyes off the guys by the bonfire. And especially from Clarke, who was already on her wave. Knowing that Clarke did not see her, the brunette simply stared at Clarke's movements. How her body wriggles, how elastic her breasts do that seductively sway in a very sexy swimsuit, and how exciting her hips twitch in these shorts. Lexa grinned at her own thoughts and continued to watch.

Butler frowned slightly, seeing that Clarke stopped and, having whispered something to Anya (although Anya obviously did not understand anything anymore), she walked away on staggering legs, clearly in a hurry to hide as soon as possible. Lexa jumped up without hesitation and went after Griffin in order to save her from trouble or the risk of getting lost or wandering in the wrong place.

Lexa narrowed her eyes, looking around in hopes of finding the blonde. The light from the lanterns of the car and the fire barely gets into this part of the forest, so finding anything or someone in this darkness is rather problematic. However, a quiet rustle nearby gives Lexa a hint where to go.

\- "What's the matter?" The brunette asks calmly, walking up to Clarke. She, leaning her hand on a tree, lowered her head, and with the other hand holds her stomach.

\- "I feel crappy," the blonde replies with a braided tongue, laying a strand of hair behind her ear.

\- “Why am I not surprised,” Butler grins, stepping closer to the blonde.

\- “You can't judge me for being drunk,” Griffin babbles, raising her drunken gaze into grinning green eyes.  
\- “I’m not judging you for smoking.” The blonde breathes deeply, trying to prevent nausea.

\- "I'm not judging you ..."

\- “Of course you don’t judge, this is none of your business,” the blonde snorts, her tongue still tangled. Lexa only smirks at the hop-dominated Clarke and isn't afraid to fight her. - "God, damn, how lousy," the blonde holds out, putting her hand to her lips, - "damn!" squeaked the blonde and immediately bent down sharply, emptying the stomach.

Lexa caught herself immediately and gathered her blond hair in her hand, holding it away from Griffin's face so that it would not interfere with clearing her stomach. Lexa rolled her eyes and looked away.

\- “God, Griffin, this isn't sexy anymore,” the brunette grins as she waits for Clarke to finish.

\- "I will never again dri...," the blonde did not have time to finish, as she again doubled.

\- “Of course you won't,” Lexa grins, picking up the blonde's loose strands in her hand. Barely touching her back with her hand, feeling the protruding vertebrae and incredibly velvety and soft skin under her fingers. Feels under her fingers how the blonde's body is straining either from her touch, or from the fact that she is turned up again. Lightly strokes, calming the blonde, and she tries to breathe deeply. In this state, Clarke almost does not understand anything, but if she was now sober, she would definitely have cum from what Butler does with her back and how she strokes it. Clarke is probably in the best condition to endure this.

\- “That sucks,” Griffin draws out wearily, trying to breathe deeply.

\- "That's it?" Lexa asks, glancing at the blonde's profile. She just nods. - "Come on, you've had enough for today," Lexa lets go of the blonde's hair and, taking her by the elbow, leads to the camp.

Having just dragged the blonde to her tent, Lexa gave a clear order to go to bed. Well, in general, Clarke was not against the execution of this order right now. The head was already splitting, and the fatigue that had been during the day returned again. Now she wanted to get some sleep and sober up a little. Well, Lexa returned to the old post, continuing to control the situation, still feeling her fingertips tingling from contact with someone else's body.

Night was approaching dawn and many had already left for their tents. Here are just a dream in Lexa's eyes. She's no stranger. The last two years sleep is what she loves least of all. Eternal insomnia. Nightmares. The same dreams day after day. And the day when they are not there becomes the best and happiest. Now the brunette has overcome the step when she pulls into the kingdom of Morpheus, which means she will be cheerful for another day. Any nap, for the most part, is disturbed by another nightmare. The same pictures, the sound of twisted metal, blood, debris ... Voice ...

She does not talk about it with her family, so as not to worry. They believe that she is okay. Let it be so, because sooner or later everything will be so ...

\- "Are you meditating or what?" the mocking voice of the blonde is heard leaving the tent. The brunette just grins, move her wand and fingering the coals. The sun rises slowly over the horizon, but it is still gloomy. The coals barely burn, giving a little light and warmth.

\- "Why you not sleep?" translates the topic Butler, continuing to blindly look at the coals. Clarke just shrugs and sits down opposite the brunette, picking up a nearby wand and starting to do what Lexa did.

\- "I can't sleep," Clarke answers. She looks at the coals, and then looks up at the brunette. Looks down again, biting his lip slightly, overcoming an internal conflict about whether to ask. Perhaps Lexa won't kill her if she just asks. - “Tell me about yourself,” Lexa raises an eyebrow at these words, looking into serious blue eyes. Grins.

\- "Excuse me?"

\- “Forgive you,” Clarke says immediately.

\- "Why do you need it?" Immediately shoots Lexa's answer, squinting into blue eyes.

\- "I want to know a little more about you, is that bad?" Griffin raises an eyebrow.

\- “I don’t think my life concerns you,” Butler throws, looking down at the coals again. Clarke sighs.

\- "Will you push me away forever?"

\- “Why should I let you get close? You are nobody to me, Griffin,” the brunette snorted, obviously annoyed by such assertiveness on the part of the blonde.

\- "And could be a friend," the blonde mutters under her breath, running her wand on the ground. The blonde takes a deep breath, rubbing the bridge of her nose, and then waves her hand. - “My life has always been different from the one you live,” the blonde began, - “eternal study. Striving for the highest. Always correspond to the status of parents and be good," the blonde smirks bitterly, - "to be in the frame. It's actually not very cool. It's not cool when hopes are pinned on your shoulders, without giving the right to choose. It's not cool to infringe on yourself in your own interests. This is all not cool."

\- "I don't care. Why are you telling me this?" Lexa interrupts the blonde, throwing a serious look at her.

\- “Because I admire your family,” Griffin breathes, - “and the fact that you are free. You belong to yourself. I hope you understand how lucky it is to have such a large family."

\- "Better than anyone," Lexa shook her head, annoyed, throwing a stick into the coals.

\- "Is it wrong to want to be a part of this world?" Clarke asks quietly, ignoring the brunette's recent outburst of anger.

Lexa didn't answer. She doesn't know what to say. The brunette just got up and, looking down at the blonde for a moment, just left.

Clarke looks down and swallows. Sighs, running a hand through her hair, and turns her gaze to the lake. The sky fills with bright colors, coloring the new day. Dawn is coming.

\- "Hey, you drunken trees," Luna shouted, loading the car with things, - "has anyone forgotten anything?" Someone shrugged, someone shook their head. Everyone's head was just ringing, and for the most part, everyone didn't care.

It was already past noon. The guys woke up, had breakfast and began to pick up things. Everyone is lethargic and walking like zombies around the camp collecting things.

\- "Damn, has anyone seen my cigarettes?" Lexa asks as she searches her glove compartment. Not finding, the brunette gets out of the car.

\- "Take it," a calm voice spreads across the street, and Lexa, seeing a pack in her outstretched hand, transfers it to the blonde, - "they were lying near the bonfire," Butler silently takes the cigarettes from the blonde's hands, still looking into her eyes. Clarke's face was completely indifferent. The blonde clearly took the side of the retreat and decided just not to impose too much attention, and after the brunette took the tutu, the blonde silently opened the car door and took her place.

Lexa looked straight ahead and then glanced at the tutu. Twirling it in her hand, she sighed and, biting her lower lip, tucked the tutu into her pocket. Some unpleasant aftertaste hurts in the soul. Damn that girl! The first thing that flashed through Butler's head.

*****

After going to the lake, Clarke did not visit the Butler family for a week. There were many reasons: study and another trip with a group in search of beauty; preparation for exams and solitude from the world of everything; spending time on the beach and drawing intricate images. Anything but not to fill head with a brunette.

She sometimes replayed that conversation over and over again, angry with herself. Angry at everything at once and especially for being so carried away by this family and ... Her.

\- "Whom do I see," comes a fervent voice nearby. Clarke rolls her eyes as she continues toward the Butlers' house, completely ignoring the brunette. Lexa grins and lifts the cigarette to her lips, inhaling again, steps closer to the blonde.

\- "I'm came to Luna," explains the blonde, not looking at the blocking her way to Lexa's house. Lexa, standing in front of Griffin, sips a cigarette and looks at the blonde, whose gazerushes back and forth, but not in her green eyes. - "Or can I no longer enter the house?" Clarke sighs, still looking up into the grinning green eyes opposite. Lexa exhales smoke and shrugs.

\- "Can."

\- “Great,” the blonde says, and takes a step forward, trying to get around Butler, but she just blocks her path again, and Clarke rolls her eyes, sighing heavily.

\- "Can I get through?"

\- “You can,” the brunette grins again, glancing at the slightly annoyed Clarke.

\- "What do you want?" asks Griffin, realizing that the game «can pass» will drag on.

\- “Nothing,” Lexa shrugs as if nothing had happened. Clarke sighs in annoyance as she tries to walk past the brunette. And then she feels a slight pain in the elbow area as Butler's warm fingers closed on her arm, stopping.

\- “Damn, stop it,” Clarke snorts, jerking her hand out of the brunette’s loose grip, and then immediately stops. A familiar voice sounded behind Lexa.

\- "Wow," comes a grinning voice behind her, and Lexa immediately turns to the source of her voice, - "found herself a new passion?" the jaw of the brunette immediately clenched, and the body tensed. She looked at a girl five meters away from her and seethed from her voice alone. Black hair, leather jacket, light jeans and boots. Biker. It was visible immediately.

\- "Who is it?" Clarke says, standing on the ladder just above Lexa and looking at the brown-haired woman through the crown of the brunette's head.

Lexa sighs deeply, cooling her flushed feelings, and, taking a drag, the brunette relaxes, not showing how the girl opposite her ignites.

Breathing out the haze, Lexa takes a step forward, lifting her chin up proudly, and throwing her cigarette butt on the ground, says:

\- "Nia ..."


	6. Secrets outward

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The story follows a cheerful female artist named Clarke Griffin. Clarke is studying at the Otis College of Art in Los Angeles with her best friend Octavia, who soon introduces the blonde to her boyfriend's sister, Alexandria Butler. A biker woman whose heart is extremely difficult to get to. Or almost impossible ...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A translation of С рассветом by KristinaKreisi  
> This fanfic was translated from Russia into English with permission of author  
> Author name: KristinaKreisi  
> Her work on website: https://ficbook.net/readfic/4009739
> 
> Sorry My English is not good so i hope you like and enjoy it

\- "What the hell are you doing here?" Lexa says through her teeth, looking at the brown-haired woman.

\- "I ran by," she throws, looking behind Lexa. She glances around Clarke, who is watching them intently. - "I see you found for yourself a bitch," she snorted, again looking at the brunette. Lexa is breathing heavily, trying to calm her feelings.

\- "Get out!" Butler hisses, ignoring the girl's causticity.

\- "Lexa!" Raven's voice is heard from the garage. Nia immediately glanced over there and grinned, and then looked at the brunette again.

\- "At least you take care of your family."

\- “Get out of my house,” the brunette hisses again, clenching her fists to somehow control her emotions.

\- "Do not hesitate, I will leave," Nia answered more quietly, leaning closer to the brunette, - "away from sin," and immediately pulled away, leaving the territory of the house. Lexa is just breathing noisily, trying to suppress the surging rage, and looks following the brown-haired woman.

\- "What was she doing here?" Ray asks as he approaches to the brunette. The brown-haired woman glances at the departed girl, and then at her friend, eager for an answer.

\- “I don’t know,” Lexa replies, calming down a bit. Butler, after another moment looking after the brown-haired woman, went to the house.

\- "Who is she?" Clarke immediately asks, preventing Lexa from entering the house. The brunette sighs.

\- "Move away," the brunette tries to push Griffin aside, but she stubbornly does not give in.

\- "Who the hell is she ?!" Clarke is already irritated, trying to fetch the answers she needs from Lexa.

\- "None of your business!"

\- Are you starting it again? Clarke throws, continuing to block the path to the house. The girl looks at Lexa, noticing how annoyed and angry she is.

“Clark,” Lexa says quietly, calling the girl's name for the first time, and the blue eyes immediately faltered, “not now, please,” Butler asks calmly, swallowing the lump.

Griffin gazes into the greens opposite. He looks, and then, with a sigh, steps aside, letting Lexa go into the house. The girl sincerely hopes that they will talk more.

*****

\- "Hi Lu. How are you?" Clarke smiles as she walks into the kitchen and watches the girl spinning at the stove.

\- "Oh, hello," the girl shines with a smile, turning to the guest, - "great. Four weeks."

\- "Oh my God!" Clarke exclaims happily, putting a hand to lips. Luna smiles back, and Clarke immediately hugs the girl. - "So you  
pregnant. God, this is amazing."

\- “I know.”Luna just glows with happiness.

The rest of the time the girls spent in the kitchen talking about this and that, and Clarke, as the doctor's daughter, gave some advice on pregnancy. What to do in case of toxicosis, how to sleep better, when the tummy begins to grow, and so on and on. And then, after chatting about other nonsense, Clarke nevertheless decided to interrogate Luna, in the hope that at least she would give her answers to questions that Lexa did not want to give.

\- “Tell me who Nia is.” Luna immediately changed her face and looked away, continuing to cook.

\- “Clarke, I not me have to tell you about this,” Luna says quietly. And she was right. Nia and everything connected with her concerns Lexa entirely and only indirectly to the family. If anyone has to tell her about the brown-haired woman, it's Lexa. If she sees fit, of course.

\- “She won't tell me,” Clarke lowers head, spinning the coffee in hand, - “she has no reason to tell me about it. I'm no one to her."

\- “It's not true, Clarke,” the girl replies immediately, turning to face the blonde. - “You mean something if you’re still in this house. Lexa is not an easy person. It's hard to understand her, but there are reasons for that, and sooner or later, she will tell you about them. She let you in, Clarke, you know? And if she opens up in front of you, then you can be sure that you mean something."

\- "Why does everyone avoid the topic of Nia?" Clarke suppressed her inner glee that Lexa might have accepted her and simply asked the next question.

\- “It's not some kind of mystery, Clarke, but it's the same topic that hurts all of us. Not only Lexa, but it is harder for her. I'm just asking you to be patient, Clarke."

\- “Yes, of course,” Griffin says, lowering head. Wait again ...

In the late afternoon, Clarke said goodbye to Luna and Bell and headed home. Leaving the house, the blonde took a deep breath, enjoying the cool air. The starry sky, the subtle sounds of cars somewhere nearby and muffled music coming from the next house. Clarke lowered head and scratched an eyebrow as she descended.

\- "Clarke," the blonde flinches, hearing her name from the lips of the brunette, and immediately turns to her. She watches Butler walk up to her, wiping her hands with a rag. - "Leaving already?"

\- "Yes. I think I have to go now," Griffin smiles timidly, looking away from the brunette. Lexa keeps looking at the blonde with her head tilted slightly to the side. She sighs and, bowing head, answers:

\- “Her name was Costia,” Butler began, slowly approaching a nearby pickup truck. Clarke just frowned, not understanding what the brunette was talking about, and yet, coming closer to the brunette, she began to expect the continuation. - "Um ..." Lexa rested her hips on the car and looked away, biting her lip slightly, plunging into memories, - "I loved her," she smiled bitterly, looking down. Clarke just swallows, continuing to listen. - “She died two years ago. Crashed," the brunette draws in air noisily, raising her head to the sky, - "and in general, Nia is her sister. Initially, we did not establish friendly relations with her, and after the death of Costia, completely grew into what you saw today. She blames me for her death," Lexa stroked her forehead with fingers and grinned painfully, - "but in general I, blame myself too. You know, I really want to tell you more ..."

\- “That's enough for me,” Clarke immediately replies, and immediately crosses her eyes with the brunette. Clarke's throat was still lumpy and she could hardly suppress her emotions. And yet she was happy that Lexa opened up to her. She smiled to herself and stood next to the brunette, leaning on the car. - “Thanks,” Clarke says quietly, - “it means a lot to me.” Lexa looked into the serious eyes of the blonde opposite and smiled timidly.

\- “But that doesn't mean you can move into this house,” Lexa points a finger at Griffin, raising one eyebrow and pulling away from the car. Clarke rolls eyes and laughs, lowering head.

\- "God, I wanted so much," the blonde shakes her head and, moving away from the car, begins to leave. - “Good night, Lexa,” the blonde smiles. Lexa smiles back.

\- “Good night, Clarke,” the brunette says, and turns around and heads to the garage.

*****

\- "Wow, are you back to paint?" rejoices behind Griffin, O. Clarke standing at the easel and holding one brush in her mouth, the other in hand, examines the result.

\- "Something like that," the blonde mumbles laconically due to the fact that a brush dangles in her mouth.

With light strokes, the blonde began to sketch the first vision of the picture in her head. First, the image, and then adding more and more colors and making the picture clearer and clearer each time.

\- “It's cool,” Octavia throws as she walks into the kitchen and winks. The girl is not stupid, and has already begun to understand who Clarke is portraying, and yet she decided to remain silent, mentally rejoicing with happiness.

Clarke just mumbled something incomprehensible and continued to slide the brush across the canvas. The blonde was finally full of strength and inspiration to draw Her. Black silhouette of a brunette on a motorbike. On the background, the blonde adds shades of sunset. Pink, gold and yellow. Fiery, highlighting her image on a magical background. The blonde brings out every detail with special attention and feeling with a brush so that everything is perfect.

\- “It's cool,” Octavia throws as she walks into the kitchen and winks. The girl is not stupid, and has already begun to understand who Clarke is portraying, and yet she decided to remain silent, mentally rejoicing with happiness.

Clarke just mumbled something incomprehensible and continued to slide the brush across the canvas. The blonde was finally full of strength and inspiration to draw Her. Black silhouette of a brunette on a motorbike. On the background, the blonde adds shades of sunset. Pink, gold and yellow. Fiery, highlighting her image on a magical background. The blonde brings out every detail with special attention and feeling with a brush so that everything is perfect.

Looking at the result from the outside, Clarke smiled and wiped her forehead with the back of hand. She blew to ward off the naughty strand from her face, and again began to look at what work out. And the blonde was really pleased. It turned out as she saw in her head. And now this moment is forever captured on canvas ...

\- "Today we go to the beach?" sipping orange juice, gives voice to O.

\- "Yes," the blonde shrugs in response, opening the refrigerator and taking out the juice.

\- “Oh, we also need to go to the cemetery,” Octavia says calmly, looking out the window.

\- "God, why? Are you so not sure you will pass the exam?" Griffin grins, pouring juice into a glass.

\- "Ha-ha," a friend grimaces, - "no, it's just that my aunt Suzie lived in LA, and here she is buried. I must visit."

\- "Oh, sorry."

\- "It's okay. She was a great aunt," Octavia sighs. - "Sorry for her. But the cancer does not ask permission, who to take," shrugs and stands up.

\- “I spoke to Lexa last week,” the blonde said quietly, looking down at the glass. She twirls it in hand and looks up again, meeting the gaze of the brown-haired woman. - "She told me about Nia ..."

\- “Yes, I know,” O replies immediately. - “Link told me that Nia had visited the house, and I still pulled some information out of him."

\- "What do you know about this?"

\- "Only the basics. Costia, Nia and the accident," the girl replies completely carefree, - "I decided not to go into details. This is none of my business. But I understood one thing, what they said, far from everything in this story," Clarke looked intently into her friend's eyes, and then, biting her lip, sighed and turned her gaze out the window.

\- "I feel it too, and I'm not sure I want to know the whole truth ..."

*****

_\- "Hey," the brunette hears a gentle voice near her ear and smiles, - "wake up," feels a hot kiss near her ear and hums rather. The brown-haired woman's warm hands slide over her tummy, slightly lifting her shirt. Hot lips slide along the chin, rising higher and kissing the corner of the lips._

_\- “I don’t want to get up,” Lexa smiles, still reluctantly opening her eyes. Stretches higher and gently kisses the girl on the lips, and she smiles through the kiss._

_\- "You settled well, huh?" the girl laughs, already climbing the hips to the brunette and starting to kiss her neck._

_\- "More than," Lexa's hands reach out to the brown-haired woman's face and remove the fallen curls behind her ear._

_She gazes at the image of the brown-haired woman without interruption and cannot enjoy this moment to its fullest. The morning sun brushes her hair, making it golden and beautiful. Lexa has always liked her hair. Long, pitch black and thick. She loved to wind them on her finger and sort out the naughty strands. It calmed her down._

_\- "You promised to ride me on Mike," the girl frowned funny, resting her hands on Butler's shoulders and looking down at her. Lexa smiled._

_\- "I will definitely ride, Cos," the brunette answers and abruptly turns the girl onto her back, - "but now," the brunette kisses her beloved on the neck, - "there are more important things to do ..." and immediately relieves the brown-haired woman from the T-shirt, causing a satisfied groan ..._

Lexa jumps out of bed, looking around in horror. Empty. Nobody. The body shakes slightly from another dream. Sweat beads on the forehead and the throat is dry. The brunette sighs and rubs the bridge of her nose. She draws in the air deeply and looks out the window. Morning. The sun's rays are already more confidently making their way through the thick glass. All wrong. And the sun, and the same morning, but not like that. Without her, all the shades of the sun have become colder, and it is no longer so warm in own bed when her body is not nearby.

She reluctantly gets out of bed and heads for the shower to wash off the remnants of sleep. Almost every morning starts out like this. But sometimes is even less lucky when she sees fragments, blood, literally again feels that smell of burned rubber and hears the sound of twisted metal.

\- “Lexa, give me the keys to Barry,” Luna shouts from the living room, searching for her jacket.

\- "Where are you going?" asks the brunette, putting on her leather jacket and taking out the keys. Holds them out to Luna.

\- "To the doctor," Luna takes the keys and, taking the phone, goes to the exit, - "where are you going?" the girl throws over her shoulder, noticing that the brunette is following her.

\- "Um, I want to go somewhere," the brunette does not answer ambiguously. - "Drop into the veterinarian and buy Jack some food."

\- “Okay,” Luna says, walking over to the pickup. - "Lexa, are you okay?" already more seriously asks a friend, turning to Butler. Lexa put on a smile and simply replied:

\- "As always," and went to the garage. Luna realized that she had been out of order for a long time and that until now nothing had changed.  
\- "Ray, have you checked Mike?" the brunette asks, going up to the motorbike.

\- "Yes, everything is fine," she answers immediately. Ray always checked Lexa's bike almost every day, in case she decided to ride it. Not because the bike is broken or anything, she's doing it to keep Lexa calm. Sometimes a brunette herself can check the bike a hundred times, making sure that everything is fine. It's kind of a phobia. The brunette is wary of any damage in the motorbike and can tighten the nut again, even if it is not required. But she is so calmer, and this is the main thing.

\- "Okay," the brunette gets on the bike and starts to start it. Second, two and the motor roared. Releasing the clutch, the brunette moved.

*****

\- “God, Octi, it's so creepy in here,” Clarke says quietly, walking down the road and looking around. All around are graves, trees and some kind of ancient buildings. Despite the fact that the weather is sunny, the grass is green, this does not in any way rid the place of the eerie atmosphere.

\- "What did you expect to see? Ponies galloping across the field? This is a cemetery,” the brown-haired woman chuckles, turning off the path and approaching the grave, - “it's always creepy here."

\- “Yeah,” Griffin draws out. The girls stopped near one of the gravestones with the inscription «Susan Blake. 1964-2015. Beloved mother, sister, grandmother. Everlasting memory.»

For a while, the girls stood near the grave while Octavia spoke to the stone. She told what had happened over the past six months. Talked about Link and the upcoming exams. In general, shared everything. After staying there a little longer, the girls headed for the exit.

\- "Oh, by the way, something interesting is planned tomorrow," Octi smiles slyly, glancing at her friend.

\- "What?" Clarke sighs wearily, preparing again for some party, where she is likely to find adventure on her butt again. She still has not over yet from partying on the lake and hiking with a group in the forest.

\- "Tomorrow is a biker convention, and then a party on the beach," Blake literally glows like a light bulb, clapping his hands actively and glancing at her friend with a twinkle, - "it will be simply stunning."

\- “Oh, I don’t even doubt it,” the blonde grins, already anticipating what kind of trouble she might get into at this party. The blonde smiles and immediately freezes, like a statue.

\- "Hey, what's wrong?" the brown-haired woman frowns, looking at how Clarke stared into the distance with a screw-hole. Griffin tugged at her friend's hand and led her behind the nearest tree, still staring at the second path across the field.

\- “This is Lexa,” the blonde holds out, continuing to stare at the girl’s silhouette and the nearby bike. Octavia frowned and followed her friend's gaze. She squinted, and her eyebrows went up.

\- “This is really her,” confirms Clarke, the girl.

\- "Can talk," Clarke breaks off, as she immediately returns to her previous position when her friend pulled her elbow back.

\- "Are you crazy ?! Don't even think. She didn't have enough for you to appear there,” the brown-haired woman snorted, continuing to watch.

\- "Why does she not approach to any grave, but continues to stand in one place?" Clarke asks quietly, not taking her eyes off Butler.

\- "God knows," the friend shrugs.

Lexa actually continued to stand beside the bike, leaning her hips on it, and just stare out into the field with hundreds of graves. She does not dare to go there and only silently looks ahead.

The brunette takes a cigarette out of her jacket pocket and sets it on fire. She brings the cigarette to lips and takes a drag, and then smiles bitterly.

\- “Now you would take it away from me, crush it with your boot and scream again,” the brunette says quietly, blindly looking into the field. Exhales the haze and inhales again. - “I know that you hated it when I smoke,” smiles, lowering head, - “but you know that it’s easier for me. You can't judge me," the brunette wipes away a tear that has not rolled down with her thumb and sniffs. - "Of the two of us, it hurts only me. I dream of you again. You still do not leave me and make me a hundred times more painful. I miss you," the brunette whispers in a slightly trembling voice and takes a drag. She closes eyes and lifts head and exhales. - "I miss you every fucking day of my life, and I miss you so much, Cos," the brunette swallows and wipes her wet nose, - "I miss you. I know that you will not come back, then I ask you," her lips quiver, - "let me go. I don't want this anymore," a tear falls from the her's eyes, and she immediately wipes it off. She shakes off the ashes and, after taking one last drag, tosses the butt to the ground. - "I deserve more ..." and with these words the brunette got on the motorbike and, with the last time looking towards the grave, darted from her place.

\- "To whom did she come?" asks O, coming out from behind the tree. Clarke just silently darted from her place and, having passed the field of graves, went out onto the path where the brunette had recently stood.

Griffin lowered her head down, noticing the same cigarette butt, and then, raising her head, began to look for the grave to which brunette most likely came. Walking with her foot on the lawn, the blonde skimmed over the names. One by one, until ...

\- "What's there?" Going to her friend, asks O. Clarke reads the inscription on the tombstone and looks sadly at the grave. «Costelia Johnson. 1990-2014. Forever with us.»

\- "She came to her," Clarke answers only barely audibly, once again rereading the words engraved on the stone ...

The girls spent the rest of the day on the beach. Clarke struggled to shake off thoughts of Lexa and what she had seen this morning. The blonde was lying on the beach and just silently drawing something with a pencil in her sketch book. For the most part, she didn’t even consciously paint the images of the brunette that she had seen during this time. Silhouettes. Some details. For the hundredth time, the blonde drew an image of brunette's tattoo on her back. The way she remembered her. Drew over and over again. The last pages of the book were entirely Lexa's sketches.

Clarke is not talkative during this period of time and only agrees when Octavia starts talking to her and telling her something. The blonde is mentally not here, but with her. The image of a brunette sitting in front of the grave clearly stands before her eyes, and her heart bleeds. Clarke became convinced once again that everything Lexa had told her was just a shell of the whole truth, and Clarke realized that she wanted to know more. Remembering the conversation with Lexa, the blonde wonders why Nia and Lexa herself blame herself for Costia's death. And she desperately wanted this pain to let go Lexa. Clarke knew one thing, Lexa didn't deserve this ...

*****

The next day for the girls was typically fast. Breakfast on the go, boring lecture and one more, couple and extra lesson. It was past noon, and upon leaving the college, the girls immediately plunged into the golden hues of the setting sun. It's the afternoon when you can have some fun.

Throwing their things into the community and changing their clothes, the girls began to wait for Lincoln to pick them up. The guy arrived in ten minutes and, picking up the girls, went to the beach.

\- "God," holds out with an open mouth Octavia, getting out of the car, - "how many motorbikes," the girl looks around the beach. In the parking lot, twenty meters from the beach, there were hundreds of different bikes. Men and women swarmed in heaps around each. Were discussing something and having fun. Music thundered all over the beach, if not further.

\- "And so every year?" Clarke asks, slamming the door.

\- “Yeah,” Link smiles as he takes off his jacket.

\- "Why haven't we seen this before?" Octavia is surprised, looking at how near one of the bikes, a couple of lovers are openly basking, and it is clearly time for them to retire, away from sin.

\- "Hey," Luna smiles, freeing herself from Bell's embrace and walking up to the girls, - "you are already here. How do you like it? Mmm?"

\- “This is awesome,” Clarke smiles back at Luna.

Out of the corner of her eye, Clarke noticed that almost all of the bikers had broken into subtle mounds. Each with his own. And Clarke immediately noticed that all the bikes were standing next to their car. Rey with Monty and Jasper spin around one of the bikes. Anya is chatting with some guy from a clearly different company and laughing. Griffin began to run her eyes and look for one single image, but did not find it. She was about to ask where She is, but Luna interrupted her.

\- “Here's Lexa,” she points to the brunette who just drove up, and Clarke immediately turned her head back as she watched the brunette get off the motorbike. Graceful and beautiful as always. The most sensitive and loving girl is hiding under this whole wall of leather jackets and a rough motorbike. Clarke has never been wrong about appearances being deceiving. And she is incredibly happy that she could still see the brunette through all these layers of her protective barriers.

\- “Why am I not surprised you're already here,” Butler grins, taking off jacket and opening the car door, throws it into the back seat, wearing only light jeans and a black T-shirt. - "Still not drunk?"

\- "Do they drink here?" Clarke raises an eyebrow, drawing the brunette's attention to herself. Lexa grins.

\- “The drivers are not, and the rest are having fun in full,” the brunette smiles, leaning her hips on the car.

\- “Then maybe I should go and have some fun,” Clarke shrugs as she shifts to an open bar nearby.

\- "I'm with you," throws up a finger O. Kisses Link on the cheek and runs up to her friend.

Clarke glanced over her shoulder and caught the brunette's gaze on her. She stared after her, and then took away when Luna began to say something to her. Clarke smiled to herself inwardly and walked with her friend to the bar.

On the way, the girls saw how bikers performed various tricks in the open area. They showed how much roar their car was capable of, and evaluated the new upgrade. Clarke wondered how many different bikes there are. Their painting, design. Each has a different 'voice'. Each one sounds different and the same at the same time. A stunning sight.

Passing by, the blonde caught a greedy glance from one of the bikers, who shamelessly examines her. Medium build, about twenty-six years old, and with a hipster beard. Clarke smiled at him and walked on, mentally telling herself, why not, not even knowing which gang he was from.

While Clarke and Octavia are drinking low-alcohol cocktails and chatting with drunken men at the counter, Lexa glances sideways into the distance from the biker tunnel, noticing a familiar figure. Jaw tightens.

\- “Do not pay attention, Lexa,” Link says, putting his hand on sister’s shoulder, knowing where she’s staring.

\- "How can not pay attention," the brunette snorts, - "she provokes me with her appearance."

\- “Just don’t look there, she’s waiting for it. She likes to piss you off once more, and you buy into her tricks."

\- “I know,” the brunette throws, pulling away from the car.

The sun has already set below the horizon. The lampposts and lights that adorn the beach illuminate the entire area. The people continue to have fun and dance to the music playing all over the beach.

Lexa, after chatting with friends, goes back to her friends. Looking around, she notices that Octavia is already here, but Clarke is not. The brunette decided not to ask where she wears, so as not to raise unnecessary questions.

She walked out onto the path, her hands in jeans pockets, and began to run her gaze around the territory, trying to find a familiar figure. And her gaze stumbles over the blond top of her head, which is dancing with some guy.

\- "What the heck?!" Squinting, Lexa tries to understand with whom blonde is dancing, and it quickly comes to her, in whose company she is having fun. - "Damn it..."

Lexa would have ignored it if Clarke danced with anyone else, even from this company, but she gets disgusted to watch when she dances with this guy. Sam. A damn bastard who loves to touch every woman's ass and, if lucky, drag her to the bunk. Not only that, the bastard was part of Nia's gang.

Lexa knew her people, and they were all good people for the most part, but he was clearly a trash. She always hated him for how scum he was. The brunette knows that for the most part Nia barely tolerates him too, but does not cast him out. However, patience does not last forever, and such freaks as he sooner or later get.

Lexa, leaning her hips on the hood of the pickup, began to watch them from afar, controlling the situation so that the bastard wouldn't even touch her. Nia wasn’t there, and Lexa was sure that no matter what was going on between them, Nia wouldn’t let that bastard get Clarke around. But Nia was not there, and she, like many, walked around the territory.

Their guys also left the bikes and went to have fun and chat with other bikers, while Lexa remained to watch everything from the side, not taking her eyes off the light crown.

Twenty minutes have passed, and Lexa notices how things got off the ground. Sam began to dissolve his arms and wander around Griffin's body. Clarke at first ignored it, but the further the man got get burning hot, the further he went. His hands descended on the blonde's elastic buttocks, squeezing them, and his face stretched to her lips, and she began to slip out of his grip, and he continued what he was doing. And then the defense mechanism holding Lexa's rage clicked and opened the door. Everything went beyond.

\- "Stop it," Clarke hums, removing the man's hands from her butt. Clarke didn’t want to seduce anyone and jump into the bunk first. The blonde just wanted to make an acquaintance, forgetting that not all bikers are kind and conscientious, like Lexa's family. And, the blonde did not even know that this was Nia's team, because otherwise she would not even look in his direction. Well, what happened happened.

\- “Don’t resist,” the man wheezes, trying to reach the blonde’s lips with his lips, but she immediately turns away, struggling to slip out. And as ill luck would have it, everyone ignores it, clearly realizing that, most likely, the couple is in a quarrel. How it might seem from the outside.

\- "Remove your hands," is heard a suppressed growl behind Clarke, and the blonde immediately sighs in relief, knowing whose he is.  
The man immediately froze, looking up at the brunette standing opposite. Lexa, crossing her arms across chest, stared at him with such a look, which is still surprising how she did not kill the poor fellow with it.

\- "Wow, who came to visit us," the biker sang, regaining a grain of confidence. Lexa only clenched her jaw harder, keeping her emotions under control as much as possible. He glanced at the blonde, then back to Lexa and grinned. - "Your bitch?" He snapped, and Clarke began to wriggle in his arms again to slip out of the rough grip.

\- “Let the girl go,” said a calm voice from the side. And everyone immediately looked at, except Lexa. She already knows who it is. Nia, arms crossed over chest, looked at Clarke and her biker.

The man said nothing. He didn't really want to get into trouble with Nia, but in particular, he really didn't really want to get into trouble with Lexa. Everyone here knew that Lexa's power was better not tested by anyone. Bickering is one thing, but a real fight is another.

He reluctantly lets go of his hands, and Clarke slips out of his grasp at the same second, going up to Butler. Lexa continues to blindly look at the man and his face, which, oh, how you want to clean it up.

Without saying anything, the girls turned around and was about to leave, when she suddenly heard:

\- “I hope the girl will last a little longer,” he said, not even knowing how he would regret it.

Lexa turns around sharply, and before the man has time to recover, he gets a strong blow to the jaw, which immediately loses his balance and rests his back on the bike. He put a dumbfounded hand to lip, and then looked at the bloody hand.

\- “Damn bitch,” he snorted, and immediately Lexa strikes another blow in the jaw, and he slides down the bike, almost without thinking. He clearly did not expect the girl's punches to be so hard.

\- "Lexa!" Clarke runs up to the blonde, grabbing her hand and pulling her away from the man lying on the floor. And most importantly, no one even twitched to help the biker. For the first time, Nia was grateful that Lexa had taught the bastard a lesson. He indirectly mentioned her sister, not even realizing what pain he caused her with his dirty expression. Nia and Lexa had the same pain for two, and many forgot about it, shamelessly throwing mud.

\- "If you," the brunette hissed, pressing the biker to the ground with her foot and leaning closer, - "once again at least look askance towards my family or come closer to it, then I swear you will regret!" Butler growled and, pressing on the chest a little more, abruptly pulled away from the man. - “I’ll kill this creature,” Lexa hissed, pointing her finger at the lying Sam and looking into the eyes of the brown-haired woman, - “and you know that, Nia."

And Nia knew. When her sister started dating Lexa, she was not entirely happy with it, but on the other hand, she knew that Cos would be safe under Lexa's wing. Lexa protects her family no matter what, and she just made sure that Clarke is a member of her family, which means that the blonde is under her protection.

Lexa then grabbed Clarke's elbow and led her out of there.

\- "Never approach to them again, do you understand me?" Lexa threw a slightly angry look at the blonde, continuing to lead her to the car.

\- “Yes,” Clarke stammered, still shocked by what had happened. She felt with all her skin how the brunette's hands were burning and how she was shaking her slightly. Her gaze involuntarily falls on Butler's other hand, and she notices bloody abrasions on the bones of her fingers. 

\- “Damn, Lexa, you're bleeding,” the blonde exclaimed, stopping by the pickup. No one has back yet

Lexa glanced at her hand in confusion, as if just noticing the abrasions.

\- “Nonsense,” the brunette chuckled, opening the car and taking out cigarettes from her jacket.

\- "No, not nonsense! Let me inspect," Clarke immediately approached to the brunette and took her hand without asking, starting to examine. Lexa just rolled her eyes, but still didn't take her hand out.

\- “Clarke, the hand is okay, let it go,” the brunette hums. She can’t wait to quickly light up and calm her naughty nerves.

Clarke ignores her words and begins to feel the brunette's hand with her thumbs. Her movements are soft and gentle. Lexa's hand tingles pleasantly from the warm hands touching hers, and she was ready to purr at the way the blonde's touch wards off the itchy pain in her hand.

\- “I don’t even know what would have happened if you hadn’t interfered,” Clarke began quietly, looking around her hand.

\- “Nothing wouldn't have happened, Clarke,” Lexa replies immediately, hissing slightly as Clarke touches the sore skin. - "Nia and I have a difficult relationship, but she would not let something bad happen to you. She's not what she wants to appear. I would not protect, she would."

\- "Need process the hand" only answered the blonde, looking up at Lexa. She did not know what to say at all to what the brunette did and said.

\- “It will heal by itself, Clarke,” the brunette began to say, - “and you don’t need to bother with me like with a small child,” Clarke continues to look into the opposite eyes without interruption. - "I am able to take care of myself," and the brunette would have continued to grovel in front of the blonde, if the second had not shut her with her lips ...

Clarke closed the tiny distance and covered her lips with hers. The kiss was timid and barely perceptible. Lexa froze in place and just felt hot lips on hers. She did not answer or resist. And Clarke at the same moment abruptly pulled away, dumbfounded looking into the eyes opposite. The blonde put her hand to lips and looked down.

\- “I-I'm sorry,” the blonde babbled, - “I… I… I'm sorry,” Clarke sighs and runs hand through hair, not knowing where to look, just not to look at the frozen brunette.

Lexa's face became impassive, and she just looked at the confused blnde. She didn't know how to react to this. How to behave and what to say.

\- “Never do that again,” the brunette hissed, and taking her jacket out of the car, slammed the door and walked away without even giving Clarke another look.

Griffin stood rooted to the spot, not understanding anything. She only cursed herself for what she had done. Perhaps she ruined everything. But standing there now and looking at the place where Lexa had stood not long ago, she knew that she did not want to forget this kiss ...


	7. Into the precipice again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The story follows a cheerful female artist named Clarke Griffin. Clarke is studying at the Otis College of Art in Los Angeles with her best friend Octavia, who soon introduces the blonde to her boyfriend's sister, Alexandria Butler. A biker woman whose heart is extremely difficult to get to. Or almost impossible ...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A translation of С рассветом by KristinaKreisi  
> This fanfic was translated from Russia into English with permission of author  
> Author name: KristinaKreisi  
> Her work on website: https://ficbook.net/readfic/4009739
> 
> Sorry My English is not good so i hope you like and enjoy it

_« - "Baby, please," the brown-haired woman stretches out in prayer cries, running out of the house after Butler.»_

_« - "Cos, another time, okay? I promise I'll ride you on a bike," Lexa stops abruptly and turns to face the girl, - "but a little later. And then if Nia finds out, she'll kill me. You know she's against it. Let's not test her," the brunette smiles, putting a lock of the girl's lost hair behind ear, and gently kisses the corner of lips.»_

_« - "Since when do you agree with her?" Costia raises an eyebrow.»_

_« - “To be honest, I think it's a good idea to keep you away from the bikes,” Lexa replies sincerely. - “I don’t want you to get involved in this. I'm calmer, yes, I'm sure, and she, too, when you walk on the ground, and do not dissect the track on bikes."»_

_« - "Are you serious now?" the brown-haired woman frowns, which causes a warm smile on Butler's lips.»_

_« - "More than," Lexa weightlessly touches the girl's nose with her lips.»_

_« - “Lexa, damn it, your bike isn't a Dodge Tomahawk so that I could crash,” the brown-haired rolls her eyes.»_

_« - “Oh, thanks,” Lexa grins, turning around and heading for the garage, - “and my answer is still no. If Nia gives the go-ahead, then maybe" the brunette makes a clear emphasis on the word, casting a glance at Cos who follows, - "maybe I'll take you for a spin. In the meantime, I will be glad if you drive car or walk ..."»_

\- "Lexa, are you okay?" the brunette is abruptly pulled out of her memories by the voice of Luna. The brunette blinked sharply and turned a confused look at her friend.

\- "Yes, everything is fine. I just thought," the brunette puts on a slight smile and gets up from the chair. - "I'll go for a little walk, okay?"

\- “Yes, okay,” Luna replies, still looking suspiciously at her friend. She knows that something is tormenting Lexa, but she does not fully understand what. Lexa mostly closes up and doesn't let get too close, so that all her feelings are not visible. This is an unacceptable distance.

The brunette nodded slightly and headed for the exit from the house. Before the brunette had time to leave, Jack immediately attacked her.

\- "Hey, baby," the brunette squats in front of the dog and starts stroking and scratching behind the ear, and he in response begins to slobber over the brunette's face and happily wag his tail, - "do you want to take a walk?" the dog barks in response. - “Okay, so let's go for a walk,” Lexa smiles and, getting to her feet, goes for a walk ...

*****

\- "Miss Griffin, are you ready for the upcoming exam?" Clarke almost jumps on the bench when she hears Miss Robins' clear voice across the audience.

\- “Y-yes, Miss Robins. Completely ready, " clearing her throat, the blonde shoots back, gradually filling with crimson paint.

The teacher nods approvingly and continues to talk about the upcoming exams.

\- "What's the matter? You've like enchanted for the last two days,” Octavia says quietly, leaning a little closer to her friend. Clarke immediately shot in her a questioning look.

\- "Is that so noticeable?"

\- "Are you kidding me? You listened to half of the lecture, staring at the bald back of Emerson's head. I guess you didn't count the hairs on his head,” the brown-haired woman snorts. - "Are you okay?"

\- "Yes," Clarke immediately replies, - "just ..." the blonde hesitated for a moment. She clearly didn't want to talk about the real reason for her confusion. - "I'm worried before the exam."

\- "Everyone is worried, relax," already pulls on a smile O, gently pushing her friend in the shoulder. Clarke smiles back, but her thoughts are still on that evening.

After the end of the consultation on the upcoming exam, the girls went to the exit from the building.

\- "Hey, by the way, when will you go to the ancestors?" O gives voice, following the path.

\- "I planned it after the exams. Probably. I don't know yet,” Clarke replies vaguely with a shrug. The blonde continues to walk and look at her feet. Lately, she continues to spin the memories of what she did, an infinite number of times.

The lips still remember the warmth and taste of Her lips. And the memory still imprints her impassive gaze in front of eyes, forcing the blonde to think about it even more and regret what she had done.

\- "Today I'm going to the Butlers," translates the topic O, deciding not to pester her friend any further, - "are you with me?"

\- “I don’t know,” Clarke says hesitantly, shrugging. She clearly wanted to go there, but she was afraid. - "We will see…"

*****

Towards evening, when the sun was just beginning to set, the girls came to the Butlers' already so beloved house. Clarke was nervous the whole time on the way to the house. She didn't know how to look Lexa in the eye. What to say and what to do. All this excited her.

\- "Hey, hello," Luna glows like a light bulb, paying attention to the friends who have just arrived. - "You are on time. I just put the kettle on."

\- "Indeed, on time," smiles O, walking into the kitchen.

\- "How do you?" asks Clarke, passing after her friend and sitting down at the table.

\- "Great," the girl continues to smile, - "everything is a little annoying. Slightly stronger than usual, but quite tolerable."

\- "It's a natural reaction." Clarke smiles and looks down. Biting her lower lip, the blonde turns her gaze back to her friend. - "Where's Lexa?" this question did not seem strange to the girls. They saw that Lexa had clearly warmed up towards Clarke, but at the same time, they were unaware of what had actually happened, as was the whole point of Griffin's interest in the brunette.

\- “Hmm, I don’t know,” Luna shrugs, turning off the kettle, - “if she came, then maybe now she can be in the garage."

\- "Okay," the blonde nods and gets up, - "I'll back soon," the blonde just throws and goes in search of Butler.

Clarke realized that she couldn't sit like that and be endlessly nervous. It is worth talking and finding out everything. Set everything up and, if necessary, forget about what happened.

After passing the living room and heading to the end of the house, the blonde approaches to the door from the garage. Swallowing, she presses the handle and opens the door. Looks around. A lonely lamp is on. Cars and bikes are standing. Quite quiet, and only some melody comes from the old radio.

Clarke moves on, bypassing bikes and cars, periodically looking behind them and looking for Butler.

\- "Lexa!" Griffin calls the brunette quietly, hoping that she will respond. - "Lexa, we need to talk!" Clarke continues to walk around the garage looking for her. It almost reaches the end and turns the corner into the workshop. - "Lex ..." and immediately snorts from the fact that she came across some heap of scrap metal.

Clarke frowned, trying to see what it was in the dark. For a little less than a minute, she stares at a pile of something with a metallic clink, covered with a large canvas.

Having swallowed, the blonde nevertheless decides to lift the fabric and take a look at what lies there, that she needs to be in the garage in a comfortably designated place, and not in a dump with such good. Now Clarke does not think that this is none of her business and that she, in fact, should not be here at all. Griffin lifts the fabric and immediately frowns, trying to examine as closely as possible what she sees: debris, broken headlights, a curved steering wheel, a broken chassis, a wheel and other debris from ... a motorcycle. Clarke swallowed, moistening her throat when she saw ... blood. Drops of caked blood on some kind of metal debris, and she was literally seized with trembling.

Clarke jerked violently when she heard a rustle behind her, and immediately dropped the fabric from her hands and turned around.

\- "What the hell are you doing here?" the brunette says through her teeth, clenching her jaw in a vice and cold eyes drilling a frightened Clarke. Lexa clenches her hands into fists, trying to calm the surging rage.

\- “I… I just wanted to talk. Luna said you could be here and I…” Griffin mumbles, trying to recover.

\- "Get out of here!" Butler hissed, and Clarke's gaze wavered.

\- "Lexa, I didn't want to," Griffin justifies, putting her hand to chest and looking at the brunette, then at the pile of rubble, - "I just wanted to talk and ..." she hesitated for a moment, casting a confused look at the pile, and then back at brunette, - "accidentally stumbled upon this ..."

\- "I said get out of here!" Lexa hissed again, almost gritting her teeth. Clarke looks into Butler's flaming eyes in disbelief and doesn't understand the reason for her rage.

\- "What is it?" Griffin swallows and proudly lifts chin, trying to withstand the brunette's rage.

\- "None of your damn business!" Lexa growled and took a step forward, which made Clarke reflexively stepped back and immediately stumbled over the pile so that the clang of clinking metal cut the silence. Keeping her balance, Clarke turned her gaze back to Butler.

\- “Lexa,” Clarke says uncertainly, and then stops.

\- "I said, get out!" A loud cry broke from Lexa's lips, and Clarke's eyes filled with fear. - "Get out!" the brunette has already switched to a quiet growl, and Clarke had no choice but to throw a broken look into the angry eyes opposite, and then retreat away until she aggravated the situation.

Lexa continued to stand with her back to Clarke leaving, staring blindly at the pile of metal. She closes her eyes when she hears the sound of a door slamming on the other side of the garage. And then she turns around and just leans back against the wall. She sighs heavily and, opening her eyes, turns her gaze to the lonely burning lamp ...

\- "Hey, Clarke, where are you going?" is blown up from the place of O, watching as the blonde slipped through the living room, heading straight for the exit.

\- “I… I… remembered that I needed to repeat the last two paragraphs on anatomy,” blurts out the first thing that came to the blonde's mind.

\- "Clarke, is something wrong?" Luna interjects, wiping her hands on a towel and exiting the kitchen.

\- "No, everything is okay. It's just that my nerves got naughty before the exam, nothing more," Griffin puts on a crooked smile and opens the door.

\- "You quarreled again?!" Octavia asks unexpectedly, which immediately takes Clarke off guard. The blonde hesitated for a moment, and then replied:

\- "No. It's OK, really. I'll go and you stay, okay?" quickly answered the blonde, not allowing her friend to insert a word, and immediately left the house, hollowly slamming the door behind.

The friends looked at each other worriedly.

\- "They quarreled again, right?" sighs O.

\- “I don’t find any other reason,” Luna runs her hand through hair, looking at the door at the end of the house. Everything is back to normal again.

*****

For the next three days the girls did not intersect. Clarke was busy preparing for the upcoming exam, and Lexa spent time in the garage, then just cutting the roads in a motorbike, reflecting on the past.

Lexa was infuriated by Clarke's excessive curiosity. Sometimes she doesn't even understand why she needs all this. That kiss knocked all common thoughts out of the brunette's head. She realized that she wasn't ready for this and not ready yet. Lexa's blood boiled at the sight of Clarke. For completely incomprehensible reasons. She literally didn't understand why she was reacting to her that way. What was the reason? Her interest? That kiss? A fair amount of curiosity about the past? Such questions whirled in a whirlwind of the brunette, without giving an answer.

Clarke's head was like a whirlwind, and the supposed answers scared her even more.

\- "You in love?" the unexpected question unsettles Clarke. From such a question, the pencil lead snapped on the paper, and the uneven line ruined a light sketch of a silhouette. Clarke swallowed and turned her head to the side to look at her friend. Octavia raised an eyebrow at Griffin's eyes quite seriously.

\- "Sorry?" Clarke frowns, trying to look as calm as possible. The girls sat in the open area of the campus cafe, and the sun every now and then, which hit in the eyes and hot head. Clarke looked to the sides, confused, watching the students walk: throwing a ball, drawing while sitting on the grass, or rehearsing performances for a reporting concert.

\- "How else to explain your mood in the last week?" Octavia throws up her arms and leans back on the table.

\- “I’m not in love, God,” Clarke sighs with relief and puts a pencil on the book.

\- "Seriously? Okay, let's play a game of 'serious question'." Octavia slaps lightly on the table.

\- “There’s no such game,” Clarke rolls her eyes, propping cheek with hand and looking at the amused students.

\- "Than, will be," she cuts off at once, - "tell me, Clarke, are you in love or not?"

\- "You are crazy? Of course, not" Clarke immediately throws, starting to fiddle with the pencil in her hand, - "where did you get it?" Octavia grins and glances at her friend’s hand, who’s constantly fiddling with the unfortunate pencil.

\- "When you are nervous or lying, you start to juggle something in your hand. And you'll soon wipe that pencil all the way through,” Blake grins. - “Also, do you think that I don’t notice your strange behavior lately?” the girl immediately throws up her hand. - “And don’t tell me that it’s because of the exams, I don’t believe it. You were never nervous about them. It disappears. Do you know what? I can answer for you, you're fucking in love.

\- "What are you talking about, O?" Griffin rolls her eyes. Looks to the side again, just not to look at her Sherlock friend.

\- "That's shit," draws out the brown-haired woman. - "I'm right? God who is this? Okay, don't answer, it's not hard to guess."

\- "Ha, do you seriously know who this is?" Griffin raises an eyebrow as she joins her friend's game.

\- “Damn, you just confirmed that you fell in love,” Blake clings to every word of her friend.

\- "I have not confirmed anything ..."

\- “And you didn’t refute anything,” Octavia fires at once. Clarke fell silent, clearly realizing that it was useless to argue with her friend. - "Do you want me to tell you who you fell head over heels into?"

\- "And to whom?" Clarke grins, clearly realizing that her friend doesn't know. Yes, perhaps Griffin herself does not know ... For now. Her suggestions will be August Fox from fourth year in directing or George Kals from third year in acting. She grinned, anticipating her friend's answers, but immediately froze when she heard the answer:

\- “This is Lexa,” Blake replies quite seriously, staring at the frozen Clarke. Griffin's face changed dramatically and just looked blindly into her friend's eyes. Heart was beating with an insane speed, which seemed to be about to pierce ribs. Damn it! The first word that came to the bright mind of Clarke. - “Don't deny it, Clarke,” her friend continues to say seriously. She looks down at the blonde's sketchbook, and then looks into the blonde's eyes again. - "I'm your friend and not blind. I don't know what's going on between you there. But I understand that it will be damn difficult with her, do you understand that? Lexa has a difficult past. Something we don't even know about. She is a difficult person. God, Clark,” the friend throws up her hand,- “she’s a mercury man. Do you understand? Her mood is so changeable. The stronger the pressure and heat, the hotter she is. I'm worried about you, you know? I do not judge you for having something for her, but I ask you to be careful." Clarke just bites her cheek and lowers head like a guilty child.

\- “It will pass, O,” the blonde answers quietly, rubbing the rough paper with her finger. - "It takes time, and it will pass. I know she won't let me close. She made it clear to me."

\- "Clarke ..." the brown-haired woman puts her hand on friend's hand, and Clarke raises a blank look in the eyes opposite.

\- "It will pass," the blonde repeats, putting on a crooked smile, - "I'm sure of it ..."

*****

\- "Hey, kid, you can't enter here," the brunette strokes the dog on the head, stopping near the store. - "Sit and wait here, I will soon," the brunette orders to the dog and, once again giving him a resigned look, enters the store.

The bell rang, notifying that the store was entered. Lexa immediately went to the checkout. Glancing around the counter, the brunette asked for a Marlboro and began to get money from her jeans pocket. While she began to count, her gaze involuntarily fell on the picture behind the glass of the store: Jack is being stroked by a man in a leather jacket. From a distance she could not see him, and yet, having paid for the purchase, she continued to look for a moment. Squinting, the brunette went to the exit and, opening the door, immediately met a man with the gray eyes, whose smile immediately began to melt.

\- “Steve,” Lexa says calmly to the guy, still standing at the entrance. The man straightened up and, smiling with the corner of his lips, replied:

\- "Lexa ..."

\- "I didn't think you were already here," the brunette begins to unpack the pack, rustling the wrapper. Walking around the tall brunette, Lexa headed towards her house, and Jack immediately ran after the mistress.

\- "Do you still smoke?" he throws behind her back, following the brunette.

\- "Always," the brunette answers in response, without even turning around. Takes the first puff.

\- “And you’re not talkative,” the man smiles, continuing to follow his old friend.

\- “I have nothing to talk to you about, Steve,” Butler says again.

\- "When did everything change so?" He asks more seriously, stopping. Lexa stops abruptly, exhaling a smoke, and then turns her head back.

\- “Everything changed after that night, Steve. Nothing more binds us all."

\- “But you and Nia are still gnawing each other's throats,” the man snorts, jabbing his finger into the ground.

\- "It has always been this way ..."

\- "But this does not mean that everything should remain so. We've all lost Her, okay ?! Not just both of you! It doesn't have to be this way, Lexa. She never wanted this ..." the brunette shakes his head, looking into the serious eyes of the girl opposite.

\- “These are not my problems,” the brunette snorts and turns around and heads on. The guy continued to look after the brunette, gritting his teeth from the realization that the family had broken up.

Steve. Old friend. He belongs to Nia's gang and was once in love with her sister. Costia. He tried to win her heart, but only the heart of Cos belonged to Lexa. She loved her. And the guy had no choice but to accept it. Let go ...

*****

Four days have passed. During this time, Clarke and Octavia passed their exams, and now they are officially free until the next year. Luna offered to celebrate the passing of the last exam at their home.

\- "Come on, Clarke," persuades her Octavia, fumbling in the closet, - "we need to relax. If you are worried about Lexa, then you can simply not intersect with her and stay away. But Clarke, avoiding her like that, not going there at all, is stupid. Don't give up in front of her."

\- “I just don't think it's a good idea. I was going to buy a ticket for the evening flight tomorrow ..." Griffin justifies herself, lying on the bed.

\- “Well, you’ll have some fun before the flight. And in general, you were planning to fly out later ..."

\- “Plans have changed,” the blonde immediately replies, lazily getting out of bed. - "Okay, I'll have some fun. The worse situation certainly cannot happen ..."

\- “Right,” Blake winks at the blonde, pulling a T-shirt and shorts from the closet.

\- “For you girls,” Link raises the bottle over his head, - “you are great,” and, knocking the necks of the bottles against each other, the guys began to absorb the drink. Link hugged Octavia and kissed the top of her head tenderly. The couple are clearly happy. But Luna looks at the beer with puppy eyes and is sad, devouring the whole snack.

\- "In honor of what we have fun?" a voice is heard nearby. Link and Luna immediately glared there. Lexa, stepping away from the doorframe, walked over to the table and grabbed a bottle of beer, and her gaze immediately fell on Clarke's blonde head. Clarke, feeling a fleeting glance on herself, immediately raised her eyes, looking from under her brow into the impassive eyes of the brunette.

“We're celebrating the end of the girl's exams,” Luna smiles, and yet she occasionally casts a bewildered glance first at Clarke, then at Lexa, clearly feeling a certain tension emanating from them.

Lexa tore her gaze from Griffin and walked out of the kitchen with a final:

\- "Keep it up," and disappeared behind the walls of the house.

\- "What's going on between you two?!" Luna sighs, waving her hand. Twitches slightly as something falls. Leans to the side, peering into the living room and watching as Jasper and Monty drop something and smile at the girl guiltily, obviously saying sorry. The girl rolls her eyes and looks back at Clarke.

\- “It's okay,” Clarke shrugs, lowering her head.

\- “If it was normal before, now it’s not,” Luna insists. - "Clarke ..."

\- "Luna, let's not talk about it, okay?" Immediately suppresses any attempts of Luna to get to the bottom of the truth Griffin.

\- "Okay," the girl surrenders and continues to gobble up the snack, still looking suspiciously at the saddened Clarke.

After about an hour, Clarke felt a little stuffy from the alcohol she had drunk, and so the blonde decided to go out into the fresh air and slightly refresh her thoughts.

Coming out onto the porch, the blonde looked around. Dark. A lonely light is on in the opposite house. Dim lights barely illuminate the street, with only a streak of light visible from the open garage.

Clarke lowers her head. Her heart begins to beat like crazy as if on automatic, as soon as she thinks about Lexa. She is torn between going to the brunette there, and between not looking for adventure on her ass. And the first clearly takes over ...

Griffin walks down the steps and, hands in her shorts pockets, walks slowly and uncertainly toward the garage.

She walks uncertainly to the garage and glances around. Everything is as usual. The brunette is not visible, and she takes another step, passing further. She walks past the cars, looking around. And then it freezes between them.

\- “Griffin,” Lexa said, clearly in a mild state of inebriation, which is a huge rarity, - “do you like to get your ass in trouble?" the brunette grins predatory, thrusting a rag into the back pocket of her jeans and taking a step towards the blonde. - “You don’t have to answer, I already know that,” Butler shrugs her shoulders, taking another step forward. Clarke stands rooted to the spot and doesn't even not move. The heart beats so hard that it gives off even in the temples. Hands shake slightly and sweat. - "I keep thinking," the brunette continues, coming closer with each spoken word, - "what do you want from me? Why the hell are you latched on to me? You crawl into not your own business," the brunette already begins to hiss, and Clarke just swallows, without taking her eyes off Lexa's predatory gaze, - "I already let you into my family, and you continue to want more," Clarke sharply draws in air when Lexa turns out next to her and immediately pushes Clarke into the pickup with her body. - “Lexa,” Clarke whispers quietly as the brunette’s warm hand grabbed her by the throat and pressed lightly. The brunette's hand rises a little higher, clasping the blonde's chin and forcing to look into her eyes, slightly squeezing cheeks.

\- “What do you want from me, Griffin?" The brunette quietly hisses into the blonde's face, squeezing her cheeks harder. Clarke is silent and Lexa jerks her hips forward, pushing the blonde harder into the cold pickup. Clarke only swallows hard, not knowing what to expect. The heart quickened its rhythm even more. - “Tell me…” Clarke's pupils dilate as she feels a hot whisper near her ear. Lexa lightly touches her ear with her lips, and Clarke is keenly aware of her every movement. - "Maybe you want me to fuck you? Mmm?" Lexa hissed in Clarke's ear, pressing her hips harder on the opposite body. Clarke's throat was treacherously dry at brunette's words, and her heart seemed to stop beating altogether. She felt a pleasant feeling accumulate in her lower abdomen. - “You want this…” Butler continues to whisper hoarsely, starting to kiss the blonde on the neck, and Clarke just bites lip, controlling emotions. She closes eyes, enjoying the brunette's pleasant touch. - "I'm feeling it. Let me fuck you right here.” Lexa bites the blonde's earlobe, and her hand begins to slide lower, reaching Griffin's shorts, and Clarke draws in air noisily as Butler's hand presses on the aching point through the fabric of the shorts. - "You want it, right?" Lexa turned predatory gaze into darkened blue eyes and immediately glanced at the blonde's parted lips.

Clarke didn’t understand Lexa’s behavior, and even though she desperately wanted Lexa, she knew it was wrong. It doesn't have to be that way. And she also realizes that Lexa does not feel the same for her as she does for her. Lexa just wants to take the stress out of herself. All these thoughts. Memories and just a heavy burden on your memory. She wants to relax and it is wrong that she is playing on Clarke's feelings.

The blonde twitches slightly when she feels the palm of the brunette penetrated under her panties, and then Clarke was doused with cold water, realizing how monstrous and dirty it was. A second, and there was a resounding clap.

Startled, the brunette pulled back slightly, feeling her cheek burning with fire. She puts her hand to face and gazes into Clarke's fiery eyes with a furious squint.

Clarke is still shaking from what just happened. She stares at the boiling brunette and feels tears rising treacherously to eyes. Feels, how the eyes begin to pinch, and the lips twitch. The whole body is shaking from what happened, and just want to cry now. But Clarke does not give such pleasure to the brunette and, just looking silently into her eyes, breaks away, swiftly leaving the garage.

Lexa continues to blindly stare at the spot where Clarke stood recently. She swallows, feeling empty and a prick of pain and guilt for what she's done. She walks up to the pickup and hits the door with hand.

\- “Fuck,” the brunette snorts and kicks the wheel again. - "Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" with every word, she stabbed the car, and then, sighing, turned her back to the pickup and just leaned back on the cold metal. - “Damn it,” the brunette draws out, running hand through hair. Swallowing again, she turned her gaze to the street, realizing one thing. She destroyed everything ..


	8. Open eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The story follows a cheerful female artist named Clarke Griffin. Clarke is studying at the Otis College of Art in Los Angeles with her best friend Octavia, who soon introduces the blonde to her boyfriend's sister, Alexandria Butler. A biker woman whose heart is extremely difficult to get to. Or almost impossible ...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A translation of С рассветом by KristinaKreisi  
> This fanfic was translated from Russia into English with permission of author  
> Author name: KristinaKreisi  
> Her work on website: https://ficbook.net/readfic/4009739
> 
> Sorry My English is not good so i hope you like and enjoy it

\- "Good afternoon, I need a ticket to New York. On an evening flight,” Clarke says wearily, rubbing eyes.

\- “One minute,” the woman replies politely, starting to look for information. Clarke is tapping the smooth surface of the counter with fingers. Clarke is tired and exhausted. The blonde spent the rest of the evening yesterday in her own worries and tears. Everything was aching in chest. And the only thing she wanted so badly was to leave. It's about time.

Octavia was not in the dorm, and therefore Clarke managed to avoid a lot of unnecessary and waste questions from her friend. Griffin tidied herself up, had breakfast and, without hesitation, went to the airport to buy a ticket and fly out in the evening.

Now, having bought a ticket, Clarke leaves the airport and just looks at the envelope in hand. She sighs and looks up. Sunny, blue sky without a single cloud. The day must be perfect.

*****

\- “Steve has arrived,” Anya said instead of greeting, walking up to the brunette. Lexa didn't even lift an eyebrow, continuing to wipe the motorbike with a rag. She continues to run the cloth over ferrous metal over and over again, mentally being in a completely different place. - 

\- "Lexa!" Anya raised her voice, and the brunette, blinking, abruptly pulled away from the motorbike and looked up at her friend, looking down at her.

\- "What did you say?" Butler asks, getting up and stuffing a rag into jeans pocket.

\- “I said Steve arrived,” the brown-haired woman replies. Anya scowls at her friend and does not understand her confused behavior. Something happened and better find out what. Away from sin.

\- "I know," Lexa shrugs triflingly and heads to the garage. Anya follows her.

\- "What's the matter?" Anya decided not to beat around the bush, but to shoot at close range.

\- "What about me?" the brunette grins, opening the back door of the pickup and taking out jacket. Pulling a Marlboro out of pocket, Lexa immediately takes out a cigarette and brings it to lips.

\- "Are you starting it again?" Anya says absolutely seriously, folding hands on belt.

\- "Lord, Anya, what am I starting ?!" Lexa waves a hand, rolling eyes and exhaling a haze. Clinks and goes around her friend, heading for the bike.

\- "Be closed, Lexa! Be closed!" The brown-haired woman firmly answers, following her friend.

\- “I’m not closing,” Lexa’s voice is calm. She squats in front of the motorbike again and starts wiping down the rest. She looks at the shiny metal and plunges into herself again.

\- "Maybe you won't lie at least to me?" Anya's voice comes from behind. - "Lexa!"

The brunette continues to stare blindly at the shiny metal of her motorbike and again runs the cloth over the smooth surface. She looks into herself reflection and feels friend's gaze with whole body. Lexa's hand freezes and falls. The brunette exhales a haze and lowers her head down.

\- "I screws up, Anya," the brunette answers quietly, continuing to look at the cigarette in hand. - "I feel like the last bitch, you know?" the brunette sighs and getting on her feet, takes a drag.

\- "What have you done?" Anya's voice became warmer. The girl was partly glad Lexa wasn't putting up barriers.

\- "Nothing good…"

*****

\- "Hey, where have you been?" O jumps off the couch as Clarke enters the room and starts to take out her bag.

\- "At the airport," the blonde answers, starting to walk around the room and think what to take with her.

\- "What? Are you flying away ?!"

\- "Yes," Clarke speaks as calmly as possible, but only the questions of her friend begin to put pressure on her, forcing her to remember of the brunette. Tears prickle slightly.

\- "When?" Octavia is clearly concerned about this state of the blonde.

\- "I have a plane for six. Tomorrow I'll be in New York," Clarke goes to the closet and pulls out a few pairs of pants and sweaters.

\- "Why now? I was hoping that you would stay here for at least a week," draws out a friend, plopping down on the sofa and looking at the blonde, who slowly collects her bag.

\- “It is necessary, O,” Clarke says briefly. The blonde walks over to her desk to grab a sketch book, but her hand is momentarily frozen on the way. She frowns and sighs, deciding that it is better not to take and once again remind herself of Lexa, whose drawings are filled with half a book.

\- "You don't take anything from art?" asks the friend, noticing that Clarke puts everything in the bag except the main things of her life.

\- "No," the blonde cuts off at once, - "I have everything in New York," she shrugs and continues to look around the room. In fact, she took all the essentials.

\- "You should stock up on books and other dregs. Flying for five hours is not cool and very boring," O. pulls a smile. And Clarke, turning to friend, smiles back.

\- “This is one of the reasons why I rarely fly to New York. How about eating at your favorite cafe, and then you take me to the plane, mmm?" Griffin raises an eyebrow and smiles.

\- "Sounds cool ..."

\- "Hello? Yes, Mom, I'm going to board. No, you don't need to pick me up, I'll call a taxi. As soon as I arrive, I'll call you right away, don't worry,” Clarke sighs, walking around the crowds and carrying her luggage. Doing so many things at the same time begins to annoy Clarke. - "That's it, mom, bye. I have a landing now. I'll call," and with these words the blonde ends the call and puts the phone in her pocket.

\- "They are obviously tired of waiting for you," smiles O, following next to friend.

\- "A long time ago."

\- "When will you be back?" Stopping at the end of the line, Octavia turned to face the blonde.

\- “I don’t know,” the blonde shrugs, - “maybe in a week or two. I'm not going to be there for long time, that's for sure."

\- "Come quickly, I will be sad without you," smiles O, lightly pushing her friend in the shoulder.

\- “I’ll miss you too,” Clarke smiles, putting her hand on the brown-haired woman’s shoulder and squeezing it lightly, - “and I will try to arrive as soon as possible."

\- "I catch the word," points her index finger at the blonde O. Clarke only smiles, mentally withdrawing into herself ...

*****

\- “Hush, kid,” Lexa laughs as Jack licks her hands and face. She continues to laugh and walk with the dog, as she hears very close:

\- "Octavia, hello," leaving the house, happily greets the girl Luna.

\- "Hi," O answers, smiling and going up to the house. It's already getting dark outside, and the golden rays of the setting sun illuminate the territory of the house.

Lexa tenses slightly, but doesn't turn her head towards the girl. She scratches behind Jack's ear and just stares blindly at the sunset.

\- "Where is Clarke?" Luna asks, and Lexa reflexively strains even more, glancing sideways in the direction of the brown-haired woman.

\- “Um,” Octavia hesitated for a moment, casting a fleeting glance at Lexa sitting next to Jack, and immediately looked away, - “she flew away."

Lexa's gaze was directed blindly forward. She just looked before her and did not notice anything and barely heard anything. She clenched her jaw tighter and closed eyes.

\- "Flew away? Where?!" Luna's eyebrows came together on the bridge of her nose from such news, and she looked at the quiet Lexa, and then again at the brown-haired woman.

\- "To New York. To her parents," O explains. - “She hasn’t been there for a long time, it’s about time,” Luna sighs with relief and relaxes her eyes, clearly realizing that it is worth transferring the topic.

\- "Perfectly. Let's go inside, I bought some delicious tea today. Tell me more," Luna smiles, inviting her friend into the house. Octavia smiled back and, with one more glance at Lexa, followed after the girl.

Lexa silently got to her feet and just walked into the garage. Now soul is too lousy because of what happened and because Clarke left. Truly inexplicably lousy. It all happened so wrong. She feels guilty for what she did. She became the reason that the blonde decided to leave. And the worst thing is that Lexa didn't even think she would be so worried about it. It would seem that she should be glad that the blonde left, but this fact only makes it worse. And, perhaps, even in the first days of her acquaintance, she would be insanely happy that the blonde head was washed out of her way, but now ... Now everything has changed a long time ago, but Lexa is the same person who would prefer not to pay attention to minor changes, even not noticing how grandiose changes emerge from these small changes. Everything went like a mosaic. Small details. She didn’t notice it. And when she noticed, she broke it ...

*****

Week later. While Lexa tried to think less about Clarke and go about her business more, Clarke plunged into creativity with her head. Endless walks in New York, visiting museums and galleries. Attending some parties with her parents, which is why the blonde was incredibly bored in the society of the elite and because they brag about their children that they followed in their footsteps. The blonde even felt a little sorry for their children. This is the worst thing when you are not given the right to choose, and you must be what your parents and the surrounding society want to see you.

At times, Clarke caught the arrogant looks of other parts of the elite, clearly condemning her and her parents for the fact that the girl chose a field of activity that did not match the level of her parents. But that didn't bother Clarke or her parents. They were one of the few who made the decision of their child and were simply glad that everything was fine with their child.

\- “Mom, I want to go to Central Park today,” Clarke said, stuffing a few scrapbooks and a couple of pencils into her backpack, - “I'll be back in the late afternoon."

\- "Why so late?" asks Abigail, gracefully sipping fragrant tea from an expensive china set and reading a newspaper at a long ebony table.

\- “I want to watch the sunset,” the blonde smiles and, coming up to her mother from behind, kisses the top of her head. - "Until the evening," and goes to the door.

\- "Until the evening," the woman muttered into a cup and continued reading an article about new methods of treatment.

\- “Be careful, hurricane, you’ll take me down,” Marcus exclaimed as he almost collided with Clarke leaving the house.

\- “Oh, I'm sorry,” the blonde smiles, walking around the man.

\- "Where are you going, young lady?" The man raises an eyebrow, and a barely noticeable smile played on his lips. Clarke smiles and rolls eyes.

\- "Dad, are you serious? I'm not sixteen anymore,” the blonde holds out, straightening her backpack, - “but if you feel better, then I go to the park."

\- "You're right, i feel better," he shrugs and goes further into the house, - "have a good evening."

\- "And you," the blonde throws at the man's back and closes the door of the house.

*****

\- “Hey, Lex,” Luna shouted as she walked down the porch and approached to the brunette who was shaking the rug out of the car.

\- "Ah," the brunette muttered, continuing to clean the rug.

\- "Please, go to Octavia today and take the sketches for the nursery," asks Luna, folding her hands on her belt.

\- "Not too early?" Lexa raises an eyebrow and smiles, casting a fleeting glance at her friend.

\- “Not at all,” Luna calms the brunette's grin with her deadly look.

\- "Okay, I'll go," Lexa sighs and puts the rug back into the car.

\- "Lexa," Luna spoke a little more seriously, and the brunette just hummed, cleaning the second rug, - "I didn't want to talk about it, but I can't be silent anymore. What happened that evening?" Lexa noticeably tensed, but, fortunately, she stood with her back to friend, and she could not see her stone face.

\- "Which evening?" Lexa asks, pretending not to understand what is at stake.

\- "You know which."

\- "Nothing. What happened?" Lexa shrugs and puts on a crooked smile, turning to face the moon.

\- "What did you tell her?" Luna shoots, and Lexa rolls her eyes.

\- "Nothing ..."

\- "So something happened after all!" Luna throws up her hands.

\- “God, stop clinging to me, Sherlock. Nothing happened, god,” Lexa boils and puts the rug back.

\- "Lexa, if you don't care about Clarke, then at least stop tormenting her with your typical «let closer - push away»" scolds her friend Luna, and immediately stops talking.

\- “I not don't care, okay ?!” Lexa snapped, turning sharply to face her friend. - “I not don't give a damn, damn it, and stop interrogating me endlessly. This is our business, not yours!" the brunette annoyedly throws on her jacket and gets into the car.

\- "Lexa ..."

\- "I told everything," Lexa threw, slamming the door, started the engine and drove.

*****

Meanwhile, Clarke sat on a bench across from the pond and, with one leg bent under her, drew simple sketches. Sometimes it was something she saw that caught her attention, and sometimes it was something that was playing in her head.

Having completed some details, the blonde got up and walked further through the park, hoping to find something beautiful and surprising in her own way.

Coming closer to the pond, the blonde leaned on the railing and, taking a tablet with sheets and a pencil, began to sketch the silhouettes of floating swans. Some postures and habits. Especially her attention was attracted by a pair of swans swimming side by side all the time. She looked away from the paper and continued looking at this beauty. The way they touch their beaks and simply remain motionless, clearly enjoying each other's company. The sun was setting, and it looked kind of magical and clearly romantic for this pair of birds. Clarke smiled to herself and to her thoughts, and glancing at the swans again, she walked on.

*****

\- “It's so serious here,” Lexa grins as Octavia walks out of the dorm to guide the brunette through security.

\- "Still would. According to rumors, security was put here after a couple of second-year morons took a bunch of friends to the hostel and threw a wild party. Several rooms were smashed, toilets on two floors were clogged, and the tiles in two bathrooms were broken. And it's still so-so," the brown-haired woman answers, going to the elevator.

\- “Wow, people know how to have fun,” the brunette chuckles, folding arms over chest and waiting for the required floor.

\- "That's for sure," shrugs O, and immediately the bell rings, notifying that they have arrived at the right floor. - "How is Luna?"

\- "Fine. She's a little rage," the brunette smiles, following the girl further.

\- “So than she's really okay,” O laughs, walking to the door. Lexa smiled back.

And only now the brunette realized that her heart, for some unknown reason, was beating faster than normal. She only now realized that Clarke lives here. And she realizes that she knows nothing about the blonde. Except, of course, that she's a curious ass and, at the same time, an artist.

\- "Come in," the brown-haired woman lets Lexa into the room, and Lexa having stood for a moment in place without moving, nevertheless took an uncertain step.

She began to look around and her eyes immediately fell into a small kitchen, and on the other side - a room with beds, as expected.

\- “It's cozy here,” says Lexa, walking into the bedroom and her gaze immediately catches on the other side of the room, where everything is in drawings, some books and a heap of art supplies.

\- "It's Clarke's side. Unlike me, she is a born artist, so do not be surprised if you find drawings everywhere and everyplace. She does it automatically. It's kind of internal or mental urge,” Octavia smiles. - “Stay here for now, and I'll go find the sketches."

Lexa just nodded and looked around the room. There are various kinds of drawings hanging on the wall. Sketches of some people. Passers-by. Their silhouettes with intricate actions clearly carried some kind of history. She comes closer to the bed to take a closer look, and a barely noticeable smile involuntarily appears on her face when she sees a drawing with a child walking with a large dog. She looks further and watches the portrait of an elderly man staring into the distance. Lexa's eyes run over each drawing, and she immediately feels the whole atmosphere that Clarke creates and radiates in her work. One gets the impression that she is here.

Lexa walks over to the table and notices stacks of books. As textbooks on the specialty, as well as various novels or collections of stories. Lexa reaches forward and touches her fingers weightlessly to the rough surface of an old book, clearly not from this century. She moves fingers further, going down to the surface of the table and leads on.

\- “Wait a little longer, otherwise I can't find it,” Octavia shouts from the kitchen, clearly mentally scolding Clarke for leaving the sketches in a hurry in the kitchen, and not in the bedroom, where they should be.

\- “I'll wait,” Lexa yells back as she continues to slide her fingers across the table. And her hand is immediately met with resistance when she stumbles upon a small book with a black rough surface.

The brunette frowns and, swallowing, still reaches for her. She desperately wanted to see more of the blonde's work, although she understood that this was wrong, and even this was not in her rules. But, what can she say, Griffin was the first to start climbing into someone else's territory, why bite now.

Lexa began flipping through the pages. She stumbled across all sorts of sketches. Some statues. Any movements or parts of the human body. And again, passers-by or just intricate scribbles that blonde scribbled when she was thinking hard about something. Lexa looks at every page, and her gaze turns serious when she notices familiar facial features. Her own face.

The brunette's heart beat again, and she began to scroll further. Again and again she. Her emotions, her silhouette. The features are not accurate, like a photograph, but more like those when a person draws from memory. But to draw from memory like this ... Lexa swallows hard and runs her thin fingers over the paper, feeling the smoothness of the sliding of the pencil dowel pressed into the paper. Feels with the skin as a rough surface smoothly flows into the lead and becomes like a glossy one.

Turns over to a new page. The last one. It depicts something incomprehensible, but the sloppy line in the drawing attracted the attention of the brunette, and she again runs her finger along it, feeling a small dent. The brunette swallows, continuing to blindly stare at the book, and her heart begins to whine again. Can't be so blind. Can't build walls for everyone. It was a mistake ...

The brunette looks blindly out the window opposite and reflexively puts the book back. She sighs and rubs the bridge of her nose. It's all too lousy.

Lexa sighs, looks around the room, and her attention is once again drawn to something that looks like a canvas, covered with a cloth. She glanced at the entrance, and then back to the canvas. She came closer and, biting her lower lip, still decided to lift the canvas and see what was there. And she just exhales, closing her eyes.

\- “Fuck,” the brunette whispers softly, squatting and putting her hand to mouth. With one hand, she continues to hold the edge of the canvas and look at the picture. She sits down on her knees and shakes head, closing eyes. She opens them again and looks at the picture. The hand involuntarily reaches for the canvas, eager to feel the roughness of dried paint under the fingers.

Her hand glides across the bright orange sky, clearly sensing the texture of the paint and canvas. Descends below, touching her dark silhouette and her motorbike. She immediately remembered that evening and sighed. Lexa puts a finger to her lips and stares at this picture thoughtfully. Everything shrinks in the chest. Shrinks to disgrace.

\- “Found it,” O shouts happily from the kitchen, and Lexa, blinking at once, covers the picture again and immediately gets up. - "Here you go," the girl smiles with satisfaction, rejoicing in her «feat».

\- "Thank you," the brunette answers in a slightly hoarse voice, taking the folder with papers from her friend's hands. Lexa opens the folder and quickly flips through it, noticing on the fly how beautiful everything is, and there are really beautiful versions of the room and some details. - "Have you painted?" Pushes Lexa into a smile as she walks toward the exit.

\- “No, Clarke,” Blake waves a hand, and Lexa swallows again, trying to hold back a smile. - "She feels such things much more than me and knows better what needs to be done." Octavia jumps sharply when she hears the ringing on her phone. Frowns and pulls her phone out of pocket. - “Oh, this is Clarke,” the girl smiles and accepts the call. Lexa bit her lip.

\- “I’ll go,” Lexa replies and, smiling with the corner of her lips, walks away.

\- "Yes, bye," throws O after the brunette and, having closed the door, continues to talk to her friend.

\- "With who are you?" Clarke asks as she follows the path and examines the glowing building signs. And stops abruptly when she hears an answer. - "What? What for? Did you give her everything? Did she ask anything?" Clarke bit her lip and continued to walk slowly, not paying attention to the people rushing somewhere that evening. When Clarke received negative answer, she swallowed. - “I see,” she answers with restraint and takes the receiver away from face, covering eyes for a moment. Sighing to calm the surging emotions, she again puts the receiver to ear. - "How was your day?"

*****

A week later.

\- "Damn, O, are you serious ?!" Clarke grumbles into the phone, dragging luggage around the airport. The blonde's fatigue after a long flight vanished as if by hand when a friend called and said that she would not be able to meet her, defending herself by the fact that her parents had unexpectedly come to her, and now she could not get away from them. The dumbest excuse of all. - “That's the dumbest excuse of all, Blake,” Clarke snorts into the phone and continues walking. - “Oh yes, you’ve got a damn lunch and dinner. Until the end of the week," adds the blonde and sighs. - “You fucking ass,” Griffin grunts and walks to the main airport doors. - "Okay, we'll meet soon. I'll try to catch a taxi," and, putting down the phone, the blonde, sighing, leaves the building.

The warm rays of the sun immediately hit her face, and the blonde, pulling in  
air, smiles, glad that she is at home again. It wasn't so hot in New York, and even, for the most part, it rained and Clarke missed sunny Los Angeles madly.

The blonde lowers her head, starting to look around and look for a taxi. And her heart stopped beating after seeing the painfully familiar pickup truck.

Clarke swallows and still slowly trudges to the car and to the brunette next to him. Lexa, leaning against the open car door, waits patiently for Griffin. Her gaze was calm and even to some extent warm when she looked at a blonde approaching to her and moving away from the car, she began to approach to the blonde.

\- "You're dressed warmly, don't you think?" Lexa says, taking the bag from the blonde's hands without asking.

\- “It's raining in New York,” Clarke says dryly, heading to the car next to the brunette.

Lexa said nothing, clearly realizing that she deserved such treatment. She silently threw the bag into the back seat and got behind the wheel and started the car.

The girls were silent almost all the way to the hostel. Clarke, leaning her elbows on the door, began to look out the window and observe her favorite places where she likes to be sometimes. While Lexa observes the calm profile of the blonde sideways and every time she wants to say something, but she does not know what. What to say in a situation like theirs? There are no answers.

Clarke can feel the tension all over her body, and brunette's gaze barely holds. Just want to howl at what is happening. She is bursting with the fact that she wants to feel the brunette's touch to herself again, and at the same time teach her a lesson about what she did with her and how she behaved.

Lexa grips the steering wheel in her hands tighter, angry on herself for showing weakness right now. She is angry on herself for not being able to even utter a word when such a moment falls. And she continues to get angry until they reach the hostel territory.

\- “I'm sorry,” Lexa says quietly, staring blindly in front of her. Clarke, about to open the door, freezes. She turns her head towards the brunette and already meets her eyes. Lexa speaks sincerely, and you can see it in her eyes.

Clarke stares into her opposite eyes, her face blank. No anger, no relief, no joy, nothing ...

She just silently opens the door and gets out of the car. Lexa sighs and looks down. She hears the door open behind her and hears a rustle. Clarke took the bag and slammed the door again.

\- “Thank you for the ride,” the blonde replies dryly, without even turning around, heading for the building.

\- "Damn it!" Lexa snorted, slamming her hand on the steering wheel. She exhales loudly through her nostrils and, closing eyes, opens them again, looking after Clarke leaves.


	9. All or nothing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The story follows a cheerful female artist named Clarke Griffin. Clarke is studying at the Otis College of Art in Los Angeles with her best friend Octavia, who soon introduces the blonde to her boyfriend's sister, Alexandria Butler. A biker woman whose heart is extremely difficult to get to. Or almost impossible ...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A translation of С рассветом by KristinaKreisi  
> This fanfic was translated from Russia into English with permission of author  
> Author name: KristinaKreisi  
> Her work on website: https://ficbook.net/readfic/4009739
> 
> Sorry My English is not good so i hope you like and enjoy it

Inhale and the lungs fill with acrid smoke. Lexa stares intently at the rubble in her garage and flashes of memory swirl through her head. A moment and the brunette exhales the haze again, closing her eyes and plunging into memories:

_\- "Lexa, you promised me!" holds out the brown-haired woman, coming up to Lexa from behind and putting her head on top of her head. - “I know that you are against it, but I don’t insist on driving myself. I just ask you to give me a ride. Today the exit is on the hill ..." to which Butler only smiles and puts hand on Costia's hand which was on her shoulder. She strokes with thumb and continues to sit at the table and sip aromatic coffee._

_\- “Nia is against it, and you know it. And then, she will be there and I don’t want to aggravate our relationship with her and I know that you don’t want that either,” the brunette pulls the girl’s hand to lips and gently kisses._

_\- “My girlfriend and sister are bikers, but at the same time they never allowed me to ride a bike,” Cos throws up hands and sits down in a chair opposite the grinning Lexa. - "Tell to someone won't believe. It's ridiculous and you can't decide for me whether to mess with bikes or not. What are you afraid of?"_

_\- "I?" Lexa raises an eyebrow, still holding a smile. - “I just don’t want you to be involved with this ..."_

_\- “But I'm already tied up, Lexa! Because of you!" the girl replies sincerely, looking into the slightly serious eyes of the brunette opposite. - - “Before meeting you, I didn’t associate myself with Nia’s hobby and I didn’t care, but now I have you. You are my life and I want to become a full-fledged part of yours and therefore accept it. I want this…"_

_\- “Baby,” Lexa sighs with relief, - “you don’t have to get involved in this with your head. You are already my whole life, and I love you ..." the brunette smiles and puts her hand on Costia's hand, gently squeezing it._

_\- “I know, but you didn’t think that maybe I want this? I've studied all my life. I studied music. In my life, there was nothing closely related to all this. I had no freedom, Lexa! And you have, and I want it too. I want more."_

_\- "Maybe today? Okay?" Lexa barely agrees and in return gets a happy smile of a brown-haired woman._

_\- "I love you," the girl pulls the brunette's hand to her lips and just kisses._

_\- “And I’m you,” Lexa smiles back, mentally plunging into her thoughts._

*****

\- “It's been two years Lexa and the wreckage remains in its place to this day,” Raven said calmly. - "Don't you think it's time to let go?"

Lexa just opens her eyes and continues to stare at the pile of metal. With her whole body she feels the presence of a friend behind her back.

\- “No,” Butler snaps dryly, turning around and leaving the workshop without even glancing at friend.

Raven said nothing and Lexa continued on her way out of the garage. Stepping her foot on the desert sand the brunette immediately threw away her cigarette and turned her gaze to the sunny sky. For a while she looks folding his hands on belt and then sighing, turns her gaze to the porch of her house.

The brunette hasn't seen Clarke all week. The first days it did not bother her very much, relying on the fact that for a couple of days Griffin will calm and after that she will start going to their house again, like her friend. But it's already the fifth day. Octavia was, Clarke was not.

Lexa tried to indirectly ask Octavia why her friend hadn't been visiting them recently to which she only replied that Clarke was busy. Draws and spends time on the beach. But only Octavia is not stupid and knows that something clearly happened between the girls. And much more than just their typical bickering. Octavia is aware of Clarke's feelings for Lexa and therefore won't ask Clarke why she doesn't want to cross paths with Butler. Everything is clear without further ado.

O is simply silent and if necessary, supports her friend. Notices how Clarke is eternally immersed in her thoughts. Draws intricate drawings while blindly looking at the sheet of paper in front of her. No matter how you look at the blonde, she is always immersed in herself. In the early days, Clarke was completely impassive. No emotions typical of her. All the time in itself and only by the end of the week the blonde began to let go and she even began to smile, which could not but please Octavia. In short, Clarke is in love. And not in anyone, but in Her ...

O is simply silent and if necessary, supports her friend. Notices how Clarke is eternally immersed in her thoughts. Draws intricate drawings while blindly looking at the sheet of paper in front of her. No matter how you look at the blonde, she is always immersed in herself. In the early days, Clarke was completely impassive. No emotions typical of her. All the time in itself and only by the end of the week the blonde began to let go and she even began to smile, which could not but please Octavia. In short, Clarke is in love. And not in anyone, but in Lexa ...

\- "Hey, Jack, kid, wanna take a walk?" Lexa squats and strokes the dog that just ran up to her. In response, he just barks and wags his tail. - “Okay,” the brunette smiles, getting up and heading for a walk.

*****

_\- “Steve, no.” Lexa stops outside the kitchen entrance, leaning against the wall and listening to the quiet voices of Costia and Steve. - "I told you that nothing will happen between us! I love her, you know?" the girl speaks sincerely and hopes that the man will understand her. Steve sighs in response._

_\- "Why can't We have everything as before? Everything was so good" the man is trying with the last bit of strength to regain his beloved._

_\- "I felt good with you. True! But," the brown-haired woman was silent for a moment, - "with her everything is different. I feel real, you know? Free. I love her, Steve, please understand ..." the girl puts her hand to the cheek of the brunette and he only closes his eyes and turns his head away. Costia immediately lowers her hand and looks away._

_\- "But I also love you, Cos," the biker answers quietly, blindly looking in the other direction._

_\- “Forgive me,” the girl replies only barely audibly and Lexa has no choice but to breathe a sigh of relief and go ..._

*****

\- "Hey, what are you doing ?!" Clarke exclaims as Octavia slammed her sketchbook shut, preventing the next, most likely brunette sketch from being completed. Griffin furrows her brows and looks up at friend.

\- "Now you get your ass up and we go to the Butlers. I'm tired of seeing the same picture every fucking day. I don't care what you have with Lexa, but you have to go there for the sake of others. Luna and the others haven't seen you since you flight. You can ignore Lexa further, but the rest are not necessary. And I don't even want to hear anything. You just get up now and we go to them. Resolved!" Blake said firmly and without stopping, and Clarke just stared at her friend without blinking, realizing that whatever she said and did not object, would fly past the brown-haired woman's ears.

\- “Okay,” Griffin muttered wearily, getting up reluctantly from the table.

Towards evening, the girls came to the Butlers' house. By the already natural course of circumstances, Clarke's heart out of habit began to gain momentum, as soon as she approached this house. Inhale and exhale. Another deep breath and a heavy exhale. So Clarke tries to calm her naughty nerves and heart pounding in the ribs.

Controlling herself and generally keeping a distance in front of a brunette is the hardest thing for Griffin. As soon as she sees her, Clarke's heart begins to whine and ask again for her touch. This is so unbearable that want to howl.

Clarke ran through all the moments that connected them with Lexa day after day. The day the brunette crossed the line, until the day Butler waited for her from the airport for several hours. She recalled the sensations that gripped her heart. How she was torn between surrendering in front of a brunette and between rebuffing and punishing her. She recalled how her heart sank at the sight of brunette's gathering the strength to say what she said. See how Lexa is really going through. And just wanted to scream, knowing that it was really sincere. And wanted to forgive her just for overcoming herself and saying things that Clarke never expected to hear. And really wanted to go back to her when Clarke realized that she was not indifferent to the green-eyed brunette. It can be seen. You can feel it ...

\- "My God, Clarke," before Griffin had time to enter the house, Luna immediately threw herself on Clarke's neck, hugging her and muttering something incessantly joyfully. - “I feel like I haven't seen you in eternity."

\- "Sorry, Lu, I was a little immersed in my own affairs," Clarke smiles timidly, pulling away from her friend and out of the corner of her eye running down the hall and looking into the rooms, so as not to stumble upon a familiar image.

\- “I don’t know what you’re doing there, but I hope you will visit us more often,” Luna smiles as she walks into the living room. - "Oh, I'll bring us tea now. I want to talk to you about the room, if you don't mind."

\- "Of course not," the blonde smiles, sitting comfortably on the couch.

\- “You’re like on needles,” Octavia says quietly, reaching for a magazine on the table. - "Relax."

\- “I can't,” Griffin says honestly, taking a deep breath. - "I can't."

\- “She asked about you,” Blake suddenly replies, and Clarke’s heart skips again. Her throat was dry, and she immediately turned her gaze to the profile of her calm friend.

\- "Who?" Clarke’s stupid question leaves her mouth, and Octavia just sighs.

\- “Guess,” O snorted irritably, flipping through a magazine with cribs.

\- "Why didn't you tell me?" Griffin sighs.

\- “Because you never stop thinking about her. Do you think I don't notice it? And if i did tell you, you would start all over again. You should talk to her."

\- “I don’t want to talk to her,” the blonde replies abruptly, looking at Luna as she enters the living room.

Octavia said nothing. The rest of the evening the girls discussed Clarke's sketches and the blonde gave advice on how best to make and what colors to choose for the nursery. All this distracted Clarke for a while from thinking about the brunette. For the time being ...

\- "Who wants coffee?" Clarke asks, glancing first at Octavia, then at Luna.

\- "Me," O throws up a finger, continuing to discuss the model of the crib with the dark-haired.

\- “Okay,” Clarke shrugs and gets up and heads to the kitchen.

Putting down the kettle in a businesslike manner, the blonde began to pour coffee into cups. Clarke, leaning against the counter, stared at the bubbling kettle thoughtfully, spoon in her mouth. She was mumbling something incomprehensible under her breath, not even noticing how behind her back, just a couple of meters away was a brunette looking at her with curiosity.

\- “I thought you'd be avoiding me forever,” Lexa said, smiling from the corner of her lips.  
Clarke immediately felt her heart pound, and her eyes almost darkened, and it's good that Butler did not see her face. Clarke swallowed, clearing her dry throat and turning off the kettle, began pouring boiling water as if nothing had happened.

\- "I'd like that," Clarke replies dryly, barely squeezing out her dispassion. Lexa sighs and looks down. And then she takes a couple of steps towards the blonde.

\- “You don’t want this,” the brunette answers more quietly, finding herself behind Clarke and clearly feeling the warmth emanating from the blonde with her whole body. Lexa is just now realizing how much she wants to touch Clarke. So much so that your fingertips begin to tingle pleasantly and ask for the desired contact.

\- "What do you want from me?" Clarke continues to speak as dispassionately as possible, barely withstanding such close contact with Butler. From her presence near the lower abdomen, she sings a familiar feeling. And from her quiet voice it blows away the roof. - "Didn't you want this?" the blonde turns sharply to face the brunette so that their faces are pitiful centimeters apart.  
\- "So that I was less looming before your eyes. So that I don't get into your life. Isn't that what you wanted? You got it," Clarke's voice begins to tremble treacherously, and Lexa's pupils begin to throb from all at once. Perhaps yes, Lexa admits for the first time that Clarke is desirable for her. Both physically and spiritually. And this cannot but frighten and at the same time ignite her extinct heart. - "Or maybe you just want to fuck me?" from these words Lexa's face became stone, and heart ached unpleasantly. Most of all the blonde regrets what she did that evening.

\- “Forgive me,” Butler whispers softly, looking into the opposite eyes. Clarke immediately looks away not wanting to look into those regretful green eyes. Otherwise, she will give slack in front of her, but this is impossible. Feels warm fingers touch her wrist and for a moment she lets Lexa hold her hand and then common sense takes over and she immediately yanks her hand out of hers.

Clarke silently turns around and Lexa reflexively steps back. She continues to stare at Griffin's back, knowing full well that she will not receive an answer ...

\- “I think we should go,” Clarke says wearily, glancing at the clock on phone. It has already passed one in the morning.

\- “Damn it, it's so late!" exclaims O, looking into the display of a friend and with horror discovering what time it is.

\- “I'll give you a drive,” the girls' attention was drawn to Lexa's familiar voice from across the house. Lexa has just left the garage, wiping her motorbike as usual and endlessly thinking about everything at once, including Clarke, who is obstinately held in her head.

Clarke's situation is not much better. The blonde nodded to the ideas of her friends the rest of the time and mentally was with a brunette. Her heart was still pounding from close contact in the kitchen and the feeling of being with her just tears Clarke apart. A little more and the blonde will simply give up ...

\- "No ne..." only Clarke wanted to answer, as her friend quickly took everything into her own hands.

\- "Thank you very much, this is what we need," O breaks into a satisfied smile. At that moment, Clarke realized that her best friend was a fucking cupid. Winged and with a halo. And Griffin really wanted to pluck her feathered wings and put her halo on her too productive head.

\- "Great," Lexa smiled with the corner of her lips, already looking into the blue eyes of the blonde sitting on the couch and throwing lightning ...

All the way the girls were mostly silent. It's dark outside the window. Night lights, oncoming cars and colored building signs illuminated the road. Some country music was playing in the salon, diluting the silence between the girls. Clarke didn't make a sound the whole time. She just silently stared out of her window, out of the corner of her ear listening to Lexa and O's trivial chatter.  
Lexa kept glancing at Griffin every time the time fell. Traffic lights were what Clarke cursed all the way. She could barely survived the green eyes on herself and until she lost her pulse, she wanted to turn her head and look into brunette's eyes, but instead Clarke keeps herself in control to the last.

Sitting in the backseat, Octavia kept glancing from Lexa to her friend, clearly noticing something more than she initially thought. And realizing that Clarke's feelings are not one-sided and that Lexa seems to be responding in kind. Slowly but surely. Girls themselves do not understand their feelings, but this attraction is inexplicable, but so acutely felt. Maddening...

Blake now and then glances at the girls, mentally smiling to herself. And scolding them for being such fools. And especially scolding Clarke, who is sulking for no reason. Lexa takes steps towards her and Clarke continues to stand firmly in her pit.

Lexa keeps glancing at her, and Clarke sometimes meets her gaze in the reflection of the window and heart skips a beat. Such a familiar feeling. So pleasant and painful at the same time.

\- "What can I do to make you at least look at me?" Lexa again breaks down, continuing to drive and occasionally glancing at Clarke's calm profile. Octavia silently watches this entire scene.

\- “I don't care,” Griffin snapped, crossing arms over chest and continuing to stare out the side window. Lexa clenches her jaw harder and tightens her grip on the steering wheel.

\- "I have apologized a thousand times and am ready as many more, just please stop ignoring me" Lexa does not give up and is trying with all her might to get Clarke's forgiveness. On another occasion, she would never show her weakness in front of someone else, but now she consciously shows Clarke how weak she is in front of her and is ready to suppress her pride and take off her masks, only so that Clarke sees her real and forgives. Now that's all she cares about.

\- “Thanks for  
drop off,” Clarke only replies when the truck pulls up in front of their dorm. Griffin unbuckled the belt and immediately froze, feeling warm fingers on her wrist.

\- “Please,” the brunette asks a little more quietly, looking into the opposite eyes. Clarke is staring at the brunette and her pupils are racing. The ribcage simply bursts from the number of heart beats per second. Torn to kiss her and to teach her a lesson.  
Octavia has been standing on the street all this time, patiently waiting for Clarke to leave. Mentally makes a tick: interrogate a friend with thousands of questions about what happened in the car.

\- “You acted like the last bitch,” Clarke replies calmly, looking into the hesitant gaze opposite, - “and you turned me off yourself. You pushed me away all the fucking time. Hurt me with your behavior. Asked me to stay out of your sight.” Lexa swallows, still keeping her gaze on the impassive eyes opposite. - "Now what? Mmm? Are you asking me for forgiveness after trying to fuck me failed? What do you want now? What changed? You still don't give a damn about me," in the last words Clarke literally hissed, jabbing her finger into the brunette's chest. - "You will never let me near you. I will always be at the level where you keep me. I will be that whipping toy. «I want I will allow her to come closer, I want I will push her away.» And so over and over and over again. You do not need me. And if that's the case, then just leave me alone and don't hurt me, please." Clarke's voice cracked and she felt her eyes begin to pinch the tears coming, but she's strong enough to take it. - "I cannot give up on you myself, if you don’t do it ..." and with these words Clarke simply got out of the car, leaving the brunette in a mute shock.

\- "And what was that?!" the first thing that leaves Octavia's lips as soon as Clarke walks past her, heading straight to the hostel. Griffin was shaking all over and her eyes still ached from tears, everything before eyes began to grow cloudy, and the blonde only swallowed lump.

\- “I told her that if she doesn’t feel anything for me, then it’s better to leave me alone,” Clarke hissed clearly, holding back tears in her eyes. Griffin entered the building and immediately began showing the security pass.

\- "What? Are you out of your mind, Griffin?" exclaimed O, following her friend into the elevator. - "Why the hell did you say that? Okay, forget it, she won't leave you."

\- "Excuse me?" the blonde raises her eyebrows, turning head towards her friend.

\- "You'll see. You're either a blind fool or I don't know. Either you are both blind fools and do not notice anything."

\- "Everything is as clear as day here, O. After Costia's death, she won't let anyone near her. It's easier for her to push me away or use me as a whipping toy," Griffin says firmly, exiting the elevator and heading into the room.

\- “You fool,” Blake replies, walking into the room and heading straight for the kitchen.

\- "What?"

\- “What you heard,” O only answers, opening the refrigerator and taking out a can of soda.

*****

\- "Do you want to talk?" Anya's voice was calm. She patiently waited for any answer from her friend, hoping more for a positive one.

Lexa sighed and straightened to wipe the sweat from her forehead with her hand. It's hot outside as usual. The scorching sun bakes mercilessly and beads of sweat persist on the forehead. Lexa removes the rear wheel from the bike and rolls it into the garage.

\- "About what?" the brunette speaks as usual with notes of enthusiasm, hiding her feelings in every possible way. Clarke’s words, said three days earlier, she replayed in her head hundreds of thousands of times. Again and again. And only the «repair» of the bike distracted her at least a little bit and even when she unscrews another nut or wipes the metal, she continues to think about the blonde. This angers her even more. It angers that all her thoughts are occupied with only one. Like a fool in love. Such a familiar feeling that she had had for a long time. Unbearable.

\- "About Clarke," Anya does not like to beat around the bush at all. Either right away or nothing.

\- "What's with her?" playing these games «everything is fine» with Anya is stupid. Lexa knows this like no one else and even she herself finds it funny that she is trying to prove to Anya that everything is fine when, in fact, nothing is good, and everything is simply worse than ever.

\- "Stop it, Lexa," the brown-haired woman crosses her arms over chest, drilling her friend's back with all severity while she rolls the wheel into the garage.

\- “Everything is bad, Anya,” Butler replies honestly, straightening up and throwing up arms, casting a blank glance at her friend. - "So much so that I don't even want to talk about it. I need time. Think about everything. This girl fell so unexpectedly on me that it just ..." Lexa closes her eyes and sighs, folding her hands on belt and Anya barely noticeably smiles, remembering what Lexa was like when she met Costia. - "In general, I need time ..."

\- "And I immediately realized that this girl will put you in your place," Anya grinned, looking at her friend. Lexa grins and rolls eyes as she walks over to the spare wheel.

\- "This girl turned my head and confused my thoughts. It's just some kind of curse," the brunette smiles, shaking her head and rolling the wheel to the bike.

\- "This is not a curse, and you know it," Anya only answers, watching her friend, and how she continues what she always does. Fixing motorbike to make sure again that it was not her mistake... Not her fault ...

*****

Evening. Music plays in the Butlers' house and the guys have fun celebrating Monty's birthday. While everyone is making toasts and making fun of the poor birthday boy, Lexa stands in the corner of the room, watching Clarke laugh. Oversees how she became an integral part of this family. Observes how she smiles and feels comfortable, feels herself. Here. In the Lexa family.

The inner struggle has been going on for too long in Lexa and now is the time to strike the first blow against her wall of defense and make a breach for Her. Even if she doesn't take a step through her open hole to her heart ...

\- “What are you…” Griffin wanted to argue when Lexa grabbed her hand and began to lead her out of the living room, leading her to the exit from the house. Clarke just walked silently behind Butler, not daring to argue or knowing what to expect.

Lexa led the blonde out onto the porch, and then released her hand. Lowering her head, the brunette began to descend from the porch, slowly heading towards the car, and Clarke, in bewilderment, began to slowly follow the brunette, still not knowing what to expect.

\- “I want you to know,” Lexa began, her back to Clarke. The brunette walked over to the pickup and, sighing heavily, turned to face Griffin and leaned her back against the cold metal.  
\- “About what happened that fateful evening.” Clarke lifts her chin up proudly, silently letting know she’s ready to listen. And Lexa just swallows, looking away, plunging into her memories:  
\- “I loved her the most in the world, Clarke. So much that was afraid to lose her. So much so that protected her from any danger. Even from bikes.” Lexa sighs heavily, lowering her head, and swallowing, looks into the serious blue eyes opposite.  
\- "Nia and I were unanimous on this issue and were opposed to Costia getting involved in this matter. She was so madly attracted to bikes. She longed for it. As she said, she wanted freedom. And she was looking for her in speed. In those sensations that a motorcycle gives. This is an inexplicable feeling, and I do not judge her in the least for wanting it so much. I judge myself. I reproach for shielding her too much. Nia and I protected her from this, perfectly understanding how dangerous it really is," Lexa, with a trembling hand, reached for a pack of cigarettes in her jeans pocket and, taking out one, she raised it to her lips and lit it. Clarke took a couple of steps forward towards the brunette, indicating that she was expecting more.  
\- “We didn't give her what she wanted. Each time I gave her a promise that I would definitely show her speed and, perhaps, even put her behind the wheel, but, naturally, I was not going to do this. I just didn't want to, but who would have thought that little things like this would wake up a real crash?" Lexa smiled bitterly, taking a drag and, raising her head to the starry sky, exhales skyward.  
\- "That evening there was a gathering on the hill. Everyone was having fun. Many were drunk, and even I allowed myself too much. After all, we stay until dawn. And, in general,"  
the brunette with a slightly trembling hand reached for her lips, taking a drag, and all this time Clarke was staring at the brunette, and her heart was bleeding. See Lexa like that. To see how she opens up to her from the most painful side. And just want to drop everything and be with her.  
\- "Everything happened somehow quickly. Nia left on some business. I don't even know how the time passed when she left. From her company there were only five people and Steve. He loved Cos. He did not receive me for a while, but then he somehow cooled down, and it seemed to be easier. The death of Cos brought us together a little. Sort of. And ... Cos began to ask to ride her, because I promised. But I couldn't. I was tipsy, and it served as a weighty excuse, and I thought it would cool her down" the brunette takes a puff again  
\- "But she's not like that. Knowing her personality, Nia and I could understand why we were so serious about such little things as riding her motorbike. There were a million reasons. And if she's on fire with it, she'll get it. Necessarily, and it scared us. It was scary that she would get involved. I've lost a lot of friends who crashed on a motorcycle. We just lost control. Both me and Nia. This was a good reason to keep her out of it. We have been in this business since childhood, and this is our life. This is how I tell myself every time to convince myself that it is not my fault" the brunette again takes a drag and lowers her head.  
\- “But that's my fault. My fault is that I didn't look. She just got my refusal again. And when I heard the familiar roar of my motorbike" Lexa exhales a haze and turns her slightly reddened eyes into the eyes in front - "I realized that something was wrong. And it all happened so quickly, Clarke, so fast.” The brunette sniffs and wipes her wet nose with hand. Her lips twitch slightly, and eyes hurt. - "So she started the bike. Now she is no longer in place, and after a certain period of time we hear this sound. Squeal of brakes. The sound of twisted metal. Smoke, noise. It was just like that ..." the brunette closed eyes and lowered head.  
\- “I can still see it before my eyes, Clarke. Every single day. I see the wreckage of my motorbike. Blood. The smell of singed rubber and ... Her,” Lexa sucks air deep into her lungs, as if clearing the pressing pain on her chest from her heart.  
\- "Just one moment, and she's gone. That was what I was so afraid of with all my heart, you know? And this is my fault. My fucking fault." Butler felt the blonde’s gaze on her and lowered head again, looking at the cigarette burning out in her hand.  
\- "The examination showed that the bike had technical damage even before the accident. Brake problem."

\- “It's not your fault,” Clarke said in a hoarse voice, barely coming to her senses and suppressing tears that were trying to roll down her cheeks.

\- “It's my fault,” Lexa replies barely audibly, looking up at the blonde.  
\- “Her death broke me, you know? She knocked me down. I didn't want to live, Clarke, I just didn't want to. Everything inside me was so empty, as if everything inside had died. By all the saints in the world, I don't want to experience this again. It hurts so much, Clarke." The brunette’s lips quiver and she closes eyes to calm her emotions and stop the tears coming. Clarke swallows lump altogether, barely holding back.

\- "It hurts so much. Forgive me, I beg you," Butler with a supplication looks into the eyes opposite. - “I know I don't deserve this. But I really need it. Forgive me for pushing you away. I'm sorry for what I did. It was a defensive reaction. Fucking defensive. Clarke, please ..." Lexa stares into the blonde's serious eyes, trying to read at least something in them, but only silence in response. Clarke wipes her wet nose with hand and shakes head. And then she takes a step back and turns around ...

At that moment, it seemed that everything froze. Lexa just looks at the blonde and literally feels her pupils narrowing to a tiny bit and then dilating again. All or nothing…

\- "Clarke," came a voice behind the blonde, and then ... And after that, Clarke felt a warm hand in hers and before the blonde had time to turn around, the brunette pulled her towards herself, and she reflexively yielded forward.

First ... second ... third, and the brunette clasps the blonde's face with palms, immediately covering her lips with hers ...

Lexa gently and so sensually kisses the blonde, pulling her closer to herself so that she involuntarily rests her back on the car, pulling Griffin even closer. She senses Clarke answering her, and a faint smile flickers across her lips.

Lexa's hand is involuntarily woven into the blond strands of Clarke, pulling Clarke closer to herself as much as possible, and Clarke simply lets out a hoarse groan, and then rests both hands on the car while the other hand of the brunette wraps around her waist, pulling her towards herself. Feels like Lexa's tongue barely perceptibly slides over her lip and the blonde starts to get excited. A little more, and it will go even further.

Griffin smiles through the kiss and still pulls back slightly, forehead touching hers. A smile plays on the girl's lips as they desperately try to catch their breath. The brunette's warm fingers barely slide over Clarke's blond curls, touching her cheeks and going down to her neck. Clarke smiles again, running her nose over the brunette's cheek, acutely feeling her touch all over skin, and like a pleasant herd of goose bumps scatter across the neck and shoulders.

Clarke's hand moves to the brunette's face, putting a hand to her cheek. Clarke touches Lexa's lower lip with her thumb and stares in the same direction. A smile does not leave her face, and she simply runs her finger along brunette's plump lip, again longing to feel them on hers.

\- “Forgive me,” the brunette apologizes again for the past, whispering and still touching her forehead with hers, and then stops when the blonde’s warm lips cover her, making it clear that she is forgiven ...


	10. Stay with me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The story follows a cheerful female artist named Clarke Griffin. Clarke is studying at the Otis College of Art in Los Angeles with her best friend Octavia, who soon introduces the blonde to her boyfriend's sister, Alexandria Butler. A biker woman whose heart is extremely difficult to get to. Or almost impossible ...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A translation of С рассветом by KristinaKreisi  
> This fanfic was translated from Russia into English with permission of author  
> Author name: KristinaKreisi  
> Her work on website: https://ficbook.net/readfic/4009739
> 
> Sorry My English is not good so i hope you like and enjoy it

For the past week, Clarke has been smiling all day long. Visiting museum exhibitions or just watching the sunset on the beach, the blonde did nothing but think about Lexa. As soon as she remembers that evening, a smile involuntarily spreads over her face.

Octavia has long guessed that her friend is flying in the clouds, and, naturally, Lexa is to blame. The brown-haired woman is to some extent even happy for them and is madly glad that Clarke no longer suffers and does not cry in the pillow at night, before that she steadfastly holding on to the feelings accumulated over the past days.

But again, partly happy. The other half is angry. Clarke and Lexa have not seen each other for a little over a week since that evening, and all because of the busyness brunette, and then the busyness of Clarke, who every now and then went to additional classes and pulled up her skills for the future course. And instead of communicating on the phone like normal people, the girls chose a very unusual way of communication. Letters. And guess who was the pigeon? Correctly! Octavia ...

At first, the brown-haired woman found it very romantic and cute. Letters and all that, but when it lasts the second week, it starts to get a little angry. Yet this cannot last forever. And it all started with the fact that one day Clarke, sitting on the lawn under a tree on campus, after another preparatory course, as usual, scribbled everything that came into her head, and Lexa did not stay without attention, of course. The blolnde, as usual, painted the features of the brunette and simply broke into a smile. After drawing a small sketch of brunette's face, the blonde signed in the corner of the sheet «I don't see, but I feel ...» and somehow spontaneously  
the blonde handed the bundle to Octavia who was going to the Butlers, and Clarke, as usual, had an evening course, and the blonde simply couldn't go. A sly smile spread across the brown-haired woman's face, and she happily agreed to hand the letter to Lexa, struggling to suppress her curiosity to find out what was written there. Upon receiving the letter, Lexa barely suppressed a satisfied smile in front of Octavia and silently took it as she headed into the garage. And only there, the brunette allowed herself to smile like a girl in love, which she had been for a very long time, and again feeling this was something incredible and special for Lexa. To feel again this lightness and slight tremor in front of the person of your heart. She had this only with Cos ...

In general, this is how it all started, Lexa with a completely calm face handed the reply letter to Octavia. And somehow it became a common thing that sometimes Clarke literally pushed Octavia out of the hostel when she painted for half an hour, only so that she quickly passed the letter to the brunette. And then Octavia began to boil ...

\- "New letter?" crossing arms over chest and raising an eyebrow, Blake asks, standing over the bed of a friend and watching as she scratches something on the next piece of paper.

Clarke just breaks into a silly smile as she continues to stare at the paper and write.

«… You're right, I don't know anything, and don't you think it's time to fix it? I hope this will happen soon. P.S. And also, Octavia stands above my soul, and she is clearly already tired of our medieval communication, so this is another reason to meet ... P.S.S. Tomorrow I am free;) »

\- “Cla-a-rke,” Octavia draws out, trying to draw her friend’s attention to herself.

\- "Mmm?" the blonde, still smiling, looks up at her friend and at the same time folds the letter into a neat bundle.

\- "I want to remind you that this is the twenty-first century, and have long been invented: sms, e-mail," Octavia rolls eyes and puts each finger, giving examples of all kinds of communication with people in different parts of the planet, - "Twitter, face mother his book and other crap. And everything can be done in seconds, and not use your best friend as a carrier pigeon!" the brown-haired woman throws up her hands, and Clarke only smiles with her angelic smile, before which Octavia is powerless and, just sighing heavily, stretches out hand to her friend and looks away. Clarke smiles wider and holds the scrap of paper into the girl's hand.

\- “You're a saint,” Clarke lights up like a light bulb. Octavia, barely suppressing a smile, rolls eyes and shoves the letter into her pocket.

\- “I know,” O shrugs and heads to the kitchen in search of orange juice. - “But, you know what,” a friend says from the kitchen, - “this cannot last forever."

\- “I know, but we really don't have time,” Clarke shouts back, stuffing a couple of art anatomy textbooks into her backpack.

\- “You should find him. Better yet, exchange phone numbers. Just so you know," the brown-haired woman smiles, entering the room and sipping some juice, winks to Griffin.

*****

Blue and clear sky without a single cloud. The scorching sun and the singing of birds mix with the everyday noise of the boiling life of people: conversations and sounds of cars; the barking of dogs going for a walk, and commands from their owners, hoping to teach at least something to their pets. All this creates a warm atmosphere, automatically raising the mood even higher.

Lexa, sitting on the edge of the trunk of a pickup truck and enjoying the warm rays of the sun, scrolls the letter between fingers that Octavia handed her half an hour ago, throwing at the same time «the dove limit is exhausted,» and smiles, once again glancing over the words carefully written on the paper, and the smile widens again. The brunette sighs and, pulling one leg up on the trunk, resting elbow on knee, lifts her gaze to the sky and closes eyes, enjoying the atmosphere to the full, seriously considering Clarke's words.

These notes might have seemed silly and vanilla to Lexa, if not for the fact that the brunette is by nature a truly sensual person. As much as the brunette tries to keep her mask in front of others, it does not change the fact that Lexa is able to love more than others. Be loyal to one person. And only people close to her know this, and especially those whom she loved and loves ... They know how Lexa can love ...

Now, lying on the trunk of a pickup truck and closing eyes, Lexa enjoys the scorching rays of the sun and just thinks. Listens to everyday sounds coming from all directions. She listens to Bell's motorbike being repaired in full in her garage. How Luna, sitting on the porch, throws a stick to Jack, and he, with an excited mood and barking, carries it back to the girl. Everything is so peaceful and good that this cannot but please the brunette, and only one thing is missing. Clarke...

\- “Someone is   
daydreaming,” Raven’s sly voice is heard, and Lexa smiles through closed eyes. Reyes chuckles and jumps up to the edge of the trunk where the brunette's legs hang.

\- “Someone is resting,” the brunette retorts, continuing to lie and bask in the warm rays of the sun.

\- "Yeah, sure," a sly grin appears on Reyes's face, and in response the brunette slightly pushes her in the side with her foot. - “Okay, actually, I wanted to talk to you about something.” Raven cleared her throat slightly, clearing her throat. The voice became noticeably more serious, and this alerted Lexa.

\- "What's the matter?" the brunette, opening eyes and putting hands under head, looked at her friend. Raven, turning slightly back to see Butler's face, began:

\- "I know you are against, even looking at the wreckage of Mike, but ..." the girl sighed heavily and closed eyes, praying that Lexa would not start rebelling about this, but in response only:

\- "But what?" Lexa's voice became noticeably strained, and her eyebrows came together on the bridge of her nose. She continued to stare at her friend's back while she swallowed and continued.

\- "When you took him apart ..." the girl hesitated for a moment, - "nothing attracted your attention?" Lexa only frowns even more and rises, taking a sitting position, leveling with her friend. She looks into the eyes of the brown-haired woman and does not understand.

Lexa repaired the entire motorbike after the accident. Redid it from scratch. It’s beyond words what pain she felt as she removed every crumpled and bloody detail from the motorbike and put it aside. She did it in some unknown state. Spent days and hours, even weeks in the garage, and the lights did not go out for months. The brunette continued to make the bike. She was in so much pain that the only thing that saved her was her motorbike. The tears in her eyes have long disappeared, and only emptiness remains. She spent day after day in the garage. Carefully putting aside all the parts, and then replacing them with new ones. That night went over and over in the head. All the scenes from Cos were replayed when she asked. And again that evening, when the brunette made the only mistake, she did not overlook. One mistake and She is no more.

Lexa kept fixing her motorbike, checking every detail over and over again. There were times when she could tighten a couple of nuts, and then unscrew and tighten again, in order to make sure that everything was done correctly. This somehow affected her due to the fact that the motorbike had a malfunction. Damn malfunction, and it may have caused the girl's death. Lexa asked these questions day in and day out. And day after day, she blamed herself. She blamed herself, and Nia's words resound in her head to this day «Her death is on you ... You ruined her ... You took her away from me ... You took her away from Us», and her empty gaze still stands before her eyes.

\- "No, I do not remember. I don’t know… ”Lexa shakes head, confusion and misunderstanding in her voice. -

\- “Lexa, I know you forbade me to approach to the wreckage, and I know that until someone does it, you’ll never touch them, but it couldn’t continue this way, and I had to ..."

\- "Ray ..."

\- "I began to sort out the wreckage," the brown-haired woman blurted out and immediately threw up hand, interrupting all Lexa's attempts to say something. - “You know I'm right. Admit it, damn it! This is in the past," the brown-haired woman continues to speak, not allowing Lexa to say a word. Butler just silently listens to her friend, and her face plays with impassivity. Typical mask for protection. - “You should let it go, Lexa. Look at you," the girl throws up her hand, pointing to the brunette, and Butler only closes eyes and lowers head, - "you are so happy now.  
A lot of time has passed, and there is nothing wrong with the fact that you can love again. Be happy with the other. Damn, Lexa, you have to be happy, and for complete happiness and peace you have to let Her go. Letting go of all this, including these memories and these debris that still hold that fateful night in themselves. You are not the only one suffering from this, you know? We all. We all suffer and it hurts, but life goes on. And yours is getting better again, drive away the past and let the future approach you with confident steps. Don't scare him away ..."

\- “I know, Raven,” Lexa replies, continuing to stare at the ground and twirl the letter between her fingers.

\- "This is good, but this is not what I wanted to talk about," the brown-haired woman relaxes slightly, realizing that she has found the right balance with her friend, and now can continue. Butler looks up to look at her friend. - “Judging by what I found,” the girl began, - “it was not just a malfunction…” A pause. Lexa tenses her whole body. For some unknown reason, the heart began to take off, and already a booming beating is felt even in the temples. The brunette herself does not understand what she is afraid of, but, definitely, she has something to beware of. And can see from her friend's face that this is something that the brunette would rather not know about. - "The brake system was disabled on purpose, you understand?"

\- “You can't be sure of that,” Lexa's voice hesitated, and her eyes began to pinch unpleasantly. She knows that Reven cannot be wrong, and that makes it even worse.

\- “You know I can."

\- "But how?" Lexa's face lit up with confusion. - "How could this happen. The traction were fine. Everything was fine, I'm sure of it ..."

\- "It's not about traction. I am more than sure of that. The fact is that, sorting through the entire brake system, for the sake of curiosity, I began to examine it, in the hope that something would be suitable. And the power wire at the rear brake shoe was… cut, you know?" Lexa is silent. She swallows hard and gets out of the car, causing the pickup to shake slightly. Lexa folds hands on belt and, biting lip, looks off into the distance at the neighboring houses.

\- "What do you mean by that?" the brunette was deadly calm, but a typhoon was raging inside her.

\- “Someone wanted this, Lexa. And this is not the worst," Raven pauses, and, receiving no answer, Lexa turns her head back.

\- "What could be worse?" the brown-haired woman rubs the bridge of her nose and, taking a deep breath, again turns her gaze to her friend gazing at her. There is a moment of silence, and then Reyes says something that makes Lexa's pupils leveled off with a grain:

\- "It was done by one of our own, Lexa ..."

*****

\- "Princess, it's already past two o'clock in the morning, and you continue ... What are you doing there ?!" throws up hands O, getting out of the shower and watching as Clarke, as usual, turning on the table lamp, clucks ... or pretends to draw, but in fact reads Lexa's reply letter for the thousandth time.

\- “Hmm… I'm drawing, what else can I do?" the blonde immediately slammed the album with a pencil and put it on the table. A smile breaks through all of Clarke's attempts to keep a calm face.

\- “I wouldn't be surprised if you start having sex by correspondence.” Octavia shook shoulders and closed eyes, imagining it for a moment. - “God, I hope that was not in the last letter. I would not like to participate in this."

\- “God, O, stop it,” Griffin exclaimed, extinguishing her lamp. - "Tomorrow you can already be free."

\- "What do you mean?" the brown-haired woman raises an eyebrow, and in soul there is inner glee.

\- "Tomorrow we will meet with her ..."

*****

The brakes squeak quietly and the pickup stops in front of the hostel. Lexa, throwing her jacket into the back seat, takes the keys out of the ignition, and then, drawing in air noisily, opens the door and gets out of the car.

Black leather ankle boots step on dry asphalt, and a light haze of sand barely rises above the ground, and then slowly settles again. The brunette stretches and rolls her head, flexing her joints, and then slams the pickup door and leans against the already heated metal of the car. The brunette begins to run her eyes around the large territory of the hostel.

Lexa watches the students walk back and forth while Lexa twirls her pickup keys on her finger. Someone near the building, accommodated with the company, plays various instruments; someone nearby, lounging on the grass, reads and draws. And someone is just discussing something with their friends. Student life is in full swing even when everyone is on vacation. Lexa barely smiled, remembering her school days and the university she never graduated from. She has no regrets. Now she is more than doing well: a family, her own business, which gives her full wealth, which is enough to feed others. There are friends and ... a possible life partner ... Time will tell ...  
While Griffin is not yet, the brunette takes her favorite Marlboros out of her jeans pocket and, holding one cigarette to her lips, lights it and immediately draws a puff, leaning relaxed on the car door. She continues to watch the scurrying students as her gaze catches on a familiar figure.

Clarke, walking out of the building, carrying a backpack on one shoulder (constantly straightening it), is chatting with some guy and smiling at him. He enthusiastically explains something to her, and Clarke just smiles and replies with something back. The boy is frail. Light curls and glasses barely slide down the bridge of the nose. Timid and clearly shy, judging by his reaction when Clarke put her hand on his shoulder, and then, saying something, went on straight to the brunette, still smiling. And the boy continues to silently stand still and look after her, and the brunette, taking a puff, grins.

\- "Who is it?" Griffin did not have time to approach to the brunette, as she immediately asked a question. A relaxed grin still plays on lips. Another puff, and the brunette exhales somewhere to the side, which makes Clarke grimace and starts waving hand, dispelling the acrid smoke from herself, which now and then eats into her lungs.

\- "And hello to you," the blonde rolls eyes, continuing to disperse the acrid smoke. Lexa fixes her gaze on the blonde's face and smiles, dropping the ashes. She begins to bring the cigarette to lips, as she immediately feels warm fingers on her hand.

\- "Hey, what are you doing?" Lexa frowns as Clarke takes the cigarette from the brunette's hands and immediately throws it on the pavement, crushing it with boot. Butler sighs and throws up hands, silently indicating that she is boiling.

\- "I ask you not to smoke near me. I feel bad from this smoke," Griffin looks up from the asphalt to the brunette. - "If it's not difficult for you ..."

\- “Okay,” Lexa immediately agrees, not even thinking to argue a little or insert some taunts. And Clarke smiles.

\- “This is Harold,” Clarke says, opening the back door of the pickup truck and tossing the backpack in there. - “Nice boy, but ... not my type,” she shrugs and slams the door. Butler grins and, raising an eyebrow, pulls the blonde closer to herself, which makes blonder smile again.

\- "That's how," the brunette shows mock surprise, hugging Griffin around the waist, hugging her tighter to herself, - "and then who is your type?" Clarke looks up at the sky as if thinking.

\- “I don’t know,” the blonde holds out, in response to which she receives a light push with brunette's nose in the neck, and laughs. She throws her head back a little, continuing to laugh, while hot lips of the brunette gently kiss her behind the ear. - "Hey, well, that's enough, there are people around," Clarke still reluctantly, slightly removes Butler from herself, still keeping a smile on face.

\- “I don’t care,” Lexa shrugs, tucking a strand the blonde of hair behind ear. Catches a warm Clarke's smile and doesn't hold back a smile in return. She barely perceptibly slides fingers along the blonde's cheekbone, moving to her chin, and her gaze involuntarily falls on Griffin's parted lips.

Lexa runs thumb over blonde's lower lip, and then pulls the blonde closer and immediately covers her lips with hers ...

The brunette sucks in air noisily and kisses the blonde again with a new wave of lust. Kissing like they haven't seen each other in ages, and she so desperately wants to enjoy her lips and warmth so much that Clarke exudes. Want to enjoy it and never stop. To feel her hands on body always, and her lips on yours. She wants Clarke to be Her. Completely…

\- “This Harold is looking here,” the brunette mumbles, reluctantly breaking away from her desired lips and looking over Clarke's shoulder. Clarke laughs back and strokes the brunette's face, urging her to get back to business.

\- "Everyone who is not lazy looking here," the blonde easily kisses Lexa on the lips, and then reluctantly moves away from her, running hand over the brunette's belly, longing for more. - "Let's go…"

\- “Good idea,” Lexa grunted, taking one last look at the dumbfounded Harold, and the brunette just couldn't help but wink at the guy. He continued to look at the girls in shock, moistening his dry throat with sips, still moving away from what he saw, and a satisfied smile firmly settled on Lexa's lips ...

*****

\- "Tell me, what do you love?" Lexa asks, continuing to drive and looking of the corner of her eye at Clarke who looking out of the window. The blonde, smiling, looks at the waiting Butler and, taking off her sandals, throws one leg on the chair, making herself comfortable.

\- “Um… I don't know. Draw, ocean, chocolate," at the last word the blonde laughed. Lexa chuckled and raised an eyebrow and glanced quickly at the blonde.

\- "This is a very saturated answer, do you know?" Clarke, still smiling, rolls eyes and looks at the road.

\- “You'd better tell me where we're going,” Griffin asks, and in return only gets a sly smile and no more ...

\- “The beach, the ocean, the sunset, and just us…” Clarke squints mock, lifting gaze to the sky and putting index finger to her lips, tapping thoughtfully. - "Wow ... Lexa is romantic," the blonde smiles.  
Butler grins as she grabs a blanket and a basket of food from the trunk. The girls arrived at a remote stretch of the beach, where there is no soul besides them. The sun is slowly setting below the horizon, and the evening promises to be beautiful.

\- “You don’t know much about me,” the brunette winks at Griffin and, smiling with the corner of lips, walks up to the blonde. Clarke immediately grabs the bundle of covers from brunette's hands, and Lexa immediately hugs the blonde by the shoulders with free hand, pulling her towards herself, and Clarke just buries her nose in Lexa's neck, and in this position they follow closer to the shore.

\- “We have to fix this,” Griffin throws, pulling away from the brunette and poking a finger in her belly. She smiles, and then, having turned around, shakes the coverlet and begins to lay it.

\- “Okay.” Lexa can't help smiling as she looks at Clarke and how she funny sits down on the bedspread and immediately starts fumbling around in the basket of food.

Butler, taking off shoes, lies on her stomach on the bedspread, settling next to the blonde.

\- “Christ, chocolate,” Clarke literally cries out when, among other things, she finds a bar of chocolate at the bottom of the basket. Lexa smiles again at Clarke's reaction to the sweetness, like a little child. Touches.

\- "I guessed right?" the brunette, smiling, fleetingly kisses Clarke on the knee, and then, resting her cheek with hand, continues to watch how the blonde cracks chocolate on all her cheeks.

\- "Are you a telepath or what?" Griffin did not miss the moment to release a taunt, and then holds out a piece to the girl.  
\- "Do you want?" In response Lexa just shakes head, and the blonde shrugs shoulders, not daring to argue: - "Well, okay, I'll get more," and, taking a bite, smiles at all thirty-two. - "So ..." Clarke began, still chewing. - "Tell me about yourself."

\- "What are you interested in?" Lexa asks evasively, glancing cheerfully at the blonde opposite.

\- “That's it,” Clarke replies laconically, and Lexa, resting her cheek more comfortably, looks to the ocean and sunset, starting to think about what to tell.

\- "I can start with the banal," shrugs shoulders and smiles. - "In fact, I love the classic latte, but I rarely drink it. I don't like peanut butter. Um ..." the brunette smiles, continuing to remember at least something. - "I love music. Music lover. I do not like betrayal and lies. It turns me off. Love animals. They understand me much better than people, sometimes. And yet, yes," the brunette laughs, nodding, - "I am a damn romantic in my heart," Clarke all this time seriously listened to the brunette, and then, holding a steel face for another second, laughed, almost spitting out the chocolate back.

\- “I swear, if someone told me at our first meeting that you were a romantic at heart, I swear I would have spat this chocolate in his face,” Clarke laughs, waving a bar of chocolate in front of Butler's eyes. Lexa smiles, lowering head, then lifts back into the glowing blue.

\- "You were a stranger to me ..." only the brunette answers, looking a little more seriously at the blonde opposite. Clarke smiles warmly, and then lies down on stomach, meeting the brunette's face, clearly feeling her scorching breath on lips.

\- "What changed?" Clarke asks quietly, casting a timid glance at the lips opposite, and then in the green eyes, radiating warmth and all the tenderness that a person can radiate. Lexa can clearly smell the scent of her perfume mixed with sweet chocolate, which is so intoxicating, and it just turned head.

\- "You became mine ..." Lexa replies quite simply, but Clarke's pupils immediately dilated, and heart beat with such force that it seemed that it was about to stop from what she heard. A subtle smile involuntarily appears on her face, and the blonde immediately closes the tiny distance, kissing the lips opposite with all tenderness and warmth.

Clarke puts hand to the brunette's cheek, stroking with thumb and continuing to kiss, feeling the warmth spread through her body, and a familiar wave radiates below her abdomen. A low moan escapes the lips opposite as Clarke takes the lead and immediately flips the brunette onto her back, climbing onto her hips. Clarke kisses again, bending over her, and barely suppresses a groan when warm and gentle hands begin to slide down her back, climbing under shirt.

\- “Clarke,” the brunette whispers in a hoarse voice against Lexa's lips and almost gasps when the blonde’s lips move down her chin down to neck, and then a wet tongue slides over her collarbones, which makes the brunette close her eyes and throws her head back, barely able to think sensibly. But how can you think sensibly? No way ...  
Clarke gently bites the brunette's skin, running over it with a wet tongue, and gets a choked moan in response. The girls breathe noisily from the excitement covering their heads. Lexa’s hands descend below, gripping the blonde’s buttocks tightly, and Clarke immediately returns to her desired lips. Smiling through the kiss, gently biting Butler's lower lip and pulling slightly. Kisses the corner of brunette's lips, at the same time intercepting the hands of the brunette and holding them above her head. Clarke clearly likes this position, and she does not intend to give up positions.

\- “Clarke,” Lexa says again, and Griffin immediately pulls away from the desired body, taking a sitting position on the brunette's hips.

\- "What?" holds out the offended blonde, whose favorite toy was taken away. Lexa smiles. Excitement still splashes in both eyes, and Clarke's eyes are even darker than night. The blonde clearly needs a lot of effort to restrain herself.

\- “Not now,” the brunette says in a slightly hoarse voice, raising hand higher and gently stroking the blonde’s cheek, placing the blonde strand of hair behind her ear.

\- "Are you serious now?" Clarke raises an eyebrow, folding arms over chest.

\- “Yes,” the brunette throws shortly, still feeling the heat between legs emanating from her and from the excited Clarke. This is harder than it sounds. But Lexa made it clear to herself that she would not sleep with Clarke until she was one hundred percent ready. This is not the moment when this should happen. Not now. Lexa wants to make sure Clarke is ready ...

\- "Did you take an oath of abstinence or went to a monastery?" the blonde throws up her hands, somehow keeping the excitement in her pants, trying to shoot with barbs. Lexa laughs boldly, pulling the pouting Clarke to herself, and she, simply surrendering, puts her head on the brunette's chest, and the brunette immediately hugs her.

\- “It can wait,” Lexa replies, still holding a warm smile, gently kissing the top of her head and stroking blond hair. It soothes and lulls her.

\- "You tell it to my excitement in pants," Clarke growls in the Butler's neck, perfectly understanding the reason why Lexa stopped.

After lying in silence for a little more, Lexa began to fall asleep, under the blonde's even breathing ... Her quiet breathing was soothing and gave such warmth that Lexa had not felt for a very long time. Vital...

While Lexa is peacefully snuffle, seeing dreams of the seventh heaven, Clarke at this time, sitting on the ocean shore, begins to draw a fiery sunset. So beautiful that the blonde swears she has never seen anything like this.

There is such lightness in my soul, and my heart seems to be elated. Clarke is sure for sure that in her life she would never have thought that she would become so happy, and not with anyone, but with Her. With the one who, it would seem, would never let her approach her even a step. But now Clarke is sitting on the shore of the ocean, waiting for the awakening of a sweetly sniffling brunette. Clarke could admire her for hours. Which she did.

She lay next to the brunette, listening to her quiet and even breathing. She was moved when the brunette turned on her side and propped cheek with hand, and her plump lips involuntarily depicted the letter «o». It looked so cute that Clarke could not resist taking book out of her backpack and began sketching these miraculous moments, capturing all this not only in memory, but also on paper. Slyly smirked at the thought that it would be nice to blackmail the brunette as punishment for today with these cute sketches and show what Lexa really is. The smile spread across face again.

Clarke walked along the beach, lay next to the brunette, painted the ocean, but sleep never came. And now, returning from the shore, the blonde lies down next to Lexa. Propping head on her hand, she began to watch her warmly. And Clarke immediately frowned, noticing how Lexa's breathing quickened, her eyebrows came together on the bridge of her nose, and her pupils began to run nervously under closed eyelids. Lexa was dreaming of something, Clarke realized, and clearly nothing good.

Griffin put her hand to the brunette's face, turning in her direction.

\- “Lexa, wake up,” Clarke says quietly, patting her cheek lightly. In response, Lexa just shakes head, and then sharply opens eyes. One ... the second ... the brunette tries to come to her senses and understand where she is. Noisily sucks in air, and then timidly looks into the worried eyes opposite. Clarke continues to stroke her cheek and hair, whispering softly, - “It's okay, it's just a bad dream. All is well…"

The brunette nods uncertainly and closes eyes again, soothing her panting breath. Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale ...  
Clarke all this time looks with concern at the calmed Lexa. She continues stroking brunette's face and hair, and Lexa taking another breath, rolls onto side, facing Griffin.

\- "Is everything alright?" Clarke asks quietly, running a slightly calm look over the peaceful face of the brunette.

\- “Yes, already.” A warm smile appears on Lexa’s face, and she closes eyes, enjoying Clarke’s gentle and warm touch to herself. The fear of another nightmare recedes again. The blonde smiles back and, having kissed the brunette on the temple, lies down next to her, so that their noses touch each other.

Lexa opens eyes, looking into the opposite eyes. She smiles at blonde and, intercepting her hand, twines fingers together. Brings it to her lips and kisses gently. And then brings to chest and just hugs. Clarke squeezes her hand tighter, drawing closer, and, closing eyes, kisses brunette's lips gently. Quite lightly, and then, drawing in air noisily, relaxes again.

\- “Stay here,” the brunette whispers softly, and Clarke, squeezing her hand tighter, quietly replies:

\- "For you…"


	11. Main line

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The story follows a cheerful female artist named Clarke Griffin. Clarke is studying at the Otis College of Art in Los Angeles with her best friend Octavia, who soon introduces the blonde to her boyfriend's sister, Alexandria Butler. A biker woman whose heart is extremely difficult to get to. Or almost impossible ...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A translation of С рассветом by KristinaKreisi  
> This fanfic was translated from Russia into English with permission of author  
> Author name: KristinaKreisi  
> Her work on website: https://ficbook.net/readfic/4009739
> 
> Sorry My English is not good so i hope you like and enjoy it

Deep evening. Lexa, leaning her elbows on the bonnet of Barry (Raven's Jeep) and crossing her arms over her chest, silently and uninterruptedly looked at the very pile of debris that her friend had reviewed. The brunette stared at the remnants of memories from the past, and Raven's words still swirl in her head. Lexa tries not to think about it, because she knows that if she starts digging, then, most likely, she will not like the truth, and everything will only get worse, but the ignorance and knowledge that a snake is warmed up under her wing and possibly a roof, it's kills.

This is all maddening. Ignorance of what really happened that night haunts the brunette. And the question of who hated Costia so much that he decided to destroy her was seeping into the very bowels of Butler's brain. But she was even more worried about the question, which she was afraid to reproduce even in her thoughts. That someone wanted to see a tombstone with the name not «Costelia Johnson», but «Alexandria Butler».

\- “I know what you’re trying to tell me,” Lexa says, continuing to stare at the wreckage, knowing that Raven has entered the garage, - “and I’ll answer that it’s too early ..."

\- "Lexa, - the brown-haired woman calmly walked closer to her friend, standing shoulder to shoulder next to her, only looking at her flat profile, - "it is worth ending this ..."

\- “Not now,” Butler snaps, lifting herself from the hood and waving an exasperated hand. - "I need time. Until I find out the truth, I will not let go of it," the brunette threw, leaving the garage and not even turning around to at least look at her saddened friend.

*****

Clarke and Lexa have been spending time together as often as possible over the past few weeks. During the day, the girls go about their business: some do business, and some prepare for the next course. And the girls spend evenings in each other's company.

A few weeks ago, they stumbled upon a beautiful place. A small elevation above all of Los Angeles offers a great view of the city and shows it in all its glory. Shows how the sun sets behind city, and shows how it rises ...

The girls once stayed there for an unscheduled overnight, chatting endlessly, lying on the bonnet of everyone's already beloved pickup, and watched the clear starry sky. Everything was so casual and romantic. So quiet and calm. It was so good that they just didn't want to leave. The girls spent half the night in the open air, talking more and more about themselves. Getting to know each other every time. And each time they left at dawn ...

And now another evening has come again, which the girls will spend in the company of each other at the place they already love. But no evening starts without ... it doesn't start without food ...

\- “Clarke, we're going there for the night, not a month,” the brunette rolls her eyes as Clarke jumps out from the next row of the store with an almost full cart of some food and other dregs.

\- "Food is never superfluous," the blonde grumbles, throwing a couple of cans of energy drinks into the cart.

\- “This,” Lexa pulls back the energy drink from the cart, waving in front of Clarke, - “is not food. It's bad, and you won't drink it, '' Lexa scolds the blonde, putting the energy drink back on the rack.

\- "Are you serious now?" Clarke, deciding that it was better not to argue with Lexa, moved on to the candy section.

\- "Of course," the brunette chuckled, following Clarke. - “And in general, why do you need three baguettes, two cans of jam,” Lexa lists, glancing around at the cart that Clarke is rolling, looking at the shelves with food, - “half a head of cheese ..."

\- "I wanted to," Clarke, stopping in front of the rack with chocolate spread, began to choose. - "Choose: plain or with nuts ..." Griffin folded her hands at belt, in the style of Superman, and began to look at the pasta, then at Lexa. In response to that, Lexa only sighed heavily, closing eyes, and then waved hand triflingly.

\- "With nuts," Lexa clearly doesn't care, and she already wants to leave the store as soon as possible, because every shopping trip with Clarke is a real torture and not only for Lexa. Octavia has long quietly sailed away from the blonde in this regard, and they do not go shopping together.

\- “You don’t like nuts,” Clarke squints, looking at the brunette. Lexa, bent over and leaning against the handle of the cart, shrugged.

\- "You take it to yourself, I won't."

\- "How about peanut butter?" Clarke reaches for the can of butter and twirls it in hand. And then she puts it back, knowing full well that Lexa hates him, and it is better not to annoy the brunette once again.

\- “If you want, you can take,” Butler gives in, putting on a smile and glancing at the focused blonde who chooses between chocolate and butter, as if she chooses curtains in Queen Elizabeth's royal castle, and not goodies to satisfy her sweet tooth needs.

\- “I want chocolate,” Clarke breaks into a satisfied smile as she grabs a can of chocolate off the shelf and puts it in the cart.

\- “You’ve been drawn to chocolate a lot lately,” Butler observes, stepping closer to the blonde. She takes blonde by the shoulders and kisses lightly on the temple, and then the gaze of bright eyes is directed to the eyes opposite.

\- “Nerves,” the blonde sighs, starting to roll the cart and leaning head slightly on the shoulder of the brunette, who still hugs Clarke gently.

\- "Because of which?" Lexa frowns a little, not taking her eyes off Griffin. In response to that, she only sighs resignedly and shrugs.

\- "Studies will begin in a month. It seems to me all the time that I am not ready."

\- "Nonsense. I think this is the healthiest response a person can have. If you're nervous, then everything will be fine," Lexa smiles, pressing the blonde closer to herself, - "if you weren't nervous, then you should really worry," Butler smiles wider, and then again kisses the blonde on the hair.

\- "From your optimism already turns out," Clarke makes a comic grimace. - "Who are you? Where is my girlfriend? I do not know you!"

\- "Stop it, I'm serious. Everything will be more than great. Trust me." Lexa smiles slyly, casting her gaze to the whipped cream section. - "Have you ever tried strawberries and cream, mmm?" the brunette raises an eyebrow playfully, catching the equally playful look of Griffin opposite ...

The crystal clear sky is obscured by the red shroud of sunset. The sun is slowly setting below the horizon, and a black pickup is already stands on the top of the slope. The chilled rays of the sun are desperately breaking through the windshield of the car, and quiet country songs are heard from the cabin.

\- "Tell me about your parents," Lexa, lying on the trunk and resting head on the blonde's back, spoke up, continuing to look at the sky.

\- "I thought I was spoke," Clarke shrugs, lying on stomach and drawing something on paper. She reaches out with hand for a bar of chocolate and, breaking off a piece, puts it in mouth.

\- "You, one might say, escaped this topic," the brunette smiles with the corner of her lips, continuing to lay. Clarke's steady breathing soothes her as the blonde's body does what it heaves back and forth to match her own breathing.

\- “Right,” Clarke confirms, sighing resignedly. - "But there really is nothing to talk about," the blonde shrugs, continuing to draw simple drawings. - "Mom works at the central hospital in New York. She is a surgeon and for the most part is immersed in her work. As far back as I can remember, she was a doctor at home and at work. 

Even now, she does not miss a moment to make sure of my health. I don't judge her for that. Her profession literally forces her to be like that. Night, day shifts. Morning, evening - all the time she has to be on the lookout, and it somehow became a habit for her," Clarke shrugs again, and then closes the sketchbook and gently turns onto her back, and Lexa's head is already resting on her stomach.

\- “Aren't you mad at her for that?” The brunette asks quietly, opening eyes and rolling onto side to see Clark's peaceful face.

\- “You know, no. Of course, as a child, it made me angry. I hated her work and did not understand her, but now ... now I understand and know that she is doing this not for herself, but for the sake of others. She chose the right profession. I'm not angry, I admire her. She has a lot of work, but she always found time for me. Always. After the death of father, it was hard for us. Very much, and especially to her. The same night shifts, and she was almost never at home, and a neighbor was with me. It was a difficult time," the blonde was silent for a moment, fingering the dark strands of the brunette, and a warm smile lit up her face. - “Heavy, until Marcus showed up. He became a rescue anchor for us. Support, do you understand? The very core that held the family and did not let it fall. He took on a lot. Including me and my mother. He replaced my father. I love him very much and I can't even imagine what my life would be without him. It was he who gave me the engine in art. He noticed it in me. He supported me with the choice of my future, and I am extremely grateful to him for that."

\- "You are happy?" Lexa asks quietly, propping herself up on one elbow to look into the blue eyes opposite. The brunette's gaze peacefully runs over Clarke's smiling face, and hand involuntarily reaches for the blond strands, winding a curl around her finger.

\- "More than ..." Griffin replies with a warm smile, and Lexa's face lit up with a smile. Her hand slid a little higher to the blonde's face, and then she closed the distance, covering Clarke's lips with her own.

Kissing gently on the lips without trying to deepen it. Only a light kiss, and then pulls away, touching blonde cheek with her nose. Smiles and kisses the corner of the lips. Over and over, and Clarke smiles wider at the pleasant touch of hot lips against herself and the pleasant weight of brunette's body on her own.

\- "What will you do when you finish your studies?" Lexa asks, looking into the opposite eyes and stroking the blonde's face. Clarke closed eyes, enjoying the touch of the coveted hands on her, and exhaled blissfully. A warm smile still flickers on her lips.

\- “You know, I didn't think about that,” Clarke replies, shrugging slightly. Places hand on the brunette's waist, lightly stroking it through the fabric of the T-shirt back and forth. - "Or rather I thought, but my God, I still have three years to study. I don't know what will become of me during this time. Two years ago, when I moved to Los Angeles, I didn't plan a lot: I didn't plan to meet Octavia; did not plan to meet your family," the blonde was silent for a moment, and then looked into serious green eyes opposite, waiting for a final answer, - "and certainly did not plan to fall in love with you ..."

Lexa blinked, shaking off a veil of shock. She had not hoped for such an answer and was certainly not ready to respond to it properly. She just looks into blue eyes and the only thing she wants and can, is to give the blonde a kiss again. Which she does, again closing the tiny distance, avoiding answers.

The brunette squeezes eyes shut, deepening the kiss and pressing herself closer and closer to Clarke's body, wanting to completely dissolve in this moment and not think about anything else. Not now…

*****

Four days have passed since that evening. Lexa was at times in a twofold state. Thoughts about the accident still haunt her, and the thoughts of Clarke's words add fuel to the fire. The brunette is not sure if she is able to answer Clarke now.

She should deal with her feelings, and especially deal with what happened that fateful night. Thoughts that this was her people, haunt the brunette. There were seemingly not so many options, but enough to build several options for a sequential chain.

One thing is clear that the person who made the cut on the wire did it either before the gathering, or during. If before, then he accurately calculated how much the wire could withstand before failing, and he would stop supplying power. But can't be one hundred percent sure that it could work, however ... it is clear that the person who did it, in one way or another, is well versed in mechanics ... which means that the circle is narrowing down. And it doesn't get better.

But what if it happened during a meeting? It's harder to remember the details. There were hundreds of bikers on it, and they were all mostly good acquaintances of Lexa, and none of them wanted it. They had no motives, but there was another team that immediately fell under Lexa's suspicion. Nia and her people ...

They could be easily removed from suspicion, if not for one 'but'. At the time, the brown-haired team had the same access to Lexa's house as the others. Despite the conflicts between the girls, their teams communicated well and more than once spent evenings in each other's company. They were their own. And someone had access to her bike. But who ...

Meanwhile, Clarke, sitting in her room and turning on a desk lamp, continued to read a book on artistic anatomy to warm up a little before the start of the school year. Well, Octavia doesn't really care about it, and she is more immersed in others ...

\- "Don't you think this is nonsense?" O began, flopping down on the bed and covering her eyes, exhaling blissfully. The body relaxes after another day of hiking with Clarke.

\- "Double date? Double date, a la camping?" the blonde raises her eyebrows in amusement, tearing gaze from the gluteal muscles and throwing it at her friend. The blonde begins to laugh and yet, making a playfully serious tone, answers: - "No, what are you? It's a great idea." She chuckled softly again, diving into the book.

The other day, Luna and Bell invited Octavia and Lincoln to go to spend the night in nature. It's like a kind of double date in nature. Strange, but interesting and even cute. Fortunately, Lexa immediately refused to be third, saying that she and Clarke would like to spend the last free month together. And Clarke is extremely happy about that.

\- "You say that because you and Lexa will spend time together. And I will have to drive away from bedbugs and other forest animals all evening," Octavia grumbles displeasedly, which causes a new wave of laughter from the blonde.

\- "And I'm incredibly happy about that," says the blonde, once again plunging into useful reading.

The next evening, Clarke arrived at the Butlers' house just before the couples left. The blonde barely suppressed her laughter, watching the lamentable Octavia and the guys excited before having fun in nature.

\- “Good luck,” Clarke’s voice is only Octavia’s note of mockery. And frowns with displeasure. - "I hope you have fun."

\- "It'll be great," Bell shrugs as he leaves the house.

\- “Oooh, yes,” Luna draws out, bulging eyes and leaving behind. Apparently not only Octavia is 'happy' with such an evening.

Five minutes later, having escorted everyone out the door and closed it, Clarke immediately flew into the kitchen, where Lexa was directly, slicing something and spreading it on bread. As Clarke got closer, she realized that the brunette was spreading chocolate paste on toast.

\- “God we're alone,” Clarke draws out, as if she just sent the kids to school and they can finally privacy.

The blonde comes up to Lexa from the back and immediately hugs brunette waist, burying nose in her hair. Closes eyes and hears a soft laugh. The brunette continued to spread the paste on the toast.

\- “Bite.” Lexa turns to face the blonde, holding out some buttered toast, and Clarke takes a bite with a big smile. Quite purrs, closing eyes and chewing. And a smile played on Lexa's face. She reached out to Clarke's lips and wiped the remaining chocolate on the blonde's lips with her thumb, then brought finger to lips and licked it.

Clarke's pupils expanded noticeably, and from such an action from the brunette, she could not help but get turned on.

\- “Delicious,” Clarke says quietly, pressing a little tighter against the body opposite. And Lexa smiles and kisses Griffin lightly on the lips. - “More,” Clarke asks, blissfully closing eyes and pulling lips into a tube to get the kiss again, and Lexa laughs, kissing, - “More,” Clarke asks again, smiling through the kiss.

\- “Eat,” Butler grins, bringing a toast to Clarke's lips. Clarke immediately frowned, opening eyes with displeasure and looking at the laughing opposite. And only gets a light touch of the brunette's fingers to her nose.

After a little snack and cooing, the girls went to the second floor. Clarke had never been to the other wings of the house during her time at the Butler home. Lexa arranged a mini tour of the house, showing several rooms on the first, which guests rarely enter, and then, taking the blonde by the hand, took her to the second flor.

Showed where the spare guest bedrooms were and where Bell and Luna's bedroom was. Speaking of which, their room are located in the other wing of the house, so as not to interfere with each other. It's easier.

Finally, the girls stand in front of a black, smooth wood door. Next to the door is a large window overlooking the side with only a view of the mountains. This is the side from which Lexa meets the dawn ...

\- “I hope you don’t have a red room there,” Clarke snapped when the brunette pulled hand to the handle of the door and began to open it, and Clarke, standing and not moving, waits when she can see Lexa's quarters.

\- “I'll show you her later,” Lexa fires back, smiling predatory. Clarke immediately widened eyes, staring in surprise at the laughing greens opposite. A familiar wave of excitement ran through Griffin's lower belly at the brunette's words.

Turning on the light, Lexa lets Clarke go forward so that she can enter and finally be able to fully inspect Lexa's large bedroom.

The blonde immediately began to evaluate the room. Large bed, and large windows above the headboard and on the left side. From here you can perfectly watch the sunrise and sunset.

Bedside tables that hold a wristwatch and a couple of books. On the other side of the room is a table on which a laptop is lying, although Clarke should ask the brunette later what she is doing on it. Clarke also notices the candles. Not so many, and yet some of them are present on the shelves, harmoniously dissipating against the background of other interior items.

Clarke is surprised that Lexa's room is so. So bright. Blooming ferns rest on ebony shelves, giving the room some living creatures and some freedom. The room is fresh and light, despite the fact that it is already dark outside the window.

Soft carpet underfoot. A neatly made bed. Music playing quietly from the stereo system.

\- "Is this really your room?" Clarke grins as she walks deeper into the room and runs fingertips across the table. And then she turns around, watching the grinning brunette.

\- "What did you expect to see?" Lexa raises eyebrows as she shuts the door with foot and walks deeper into the bedroom.

Clarke just smiles and shrugs, and then turns her back to the bed, looking at the shelf with various family photos. Books and records of old rock and roll bands. Lexa only slowly walks up to the blonde from behind, standing behind her. Doesn't touch, just stands. Can understand without unnecessary touches that Clarke's body reflexively tensed, and a barely perceptible tremor slipped through her body in anticipation of something ...

Clarke swallows and closes eyes when she feels warm hands on waist. Lexa gently hugs the blonde from behind, pulling her closer to herself. Her hands cover those of the blonde, and, closing eyes, she runs nose through blond hair, inhaling deeply.

Clarke throws her head back, giving the brunette more access to her neck, and blissfully closes eyes as Lexa's hot lips touch her neck. The skin seemed to be showered with an electric shock, and a slight shiver went through the whole body. So warm and pleasant that Griffin can hardly suppress a satisfied groan. Wanting more, and after each kiss to skin, Clarke flares up again.

Quiet music spreads along the walls of the house and barely perceptibly reaches the girls' ears. Clarke begins to sway in Lexa's arms instinctively to the beat of the song. Covers eyes, snuggling closer to the body behind.

Lexa continues to gently kiss Clarke's neck. Her hands reach for the blonde's hands, and she simply weaves their fingers together. Hugs tighter, kissing the blonde behind the ear. Her hot breath knocks sound thoughts out of Clarke, calling out a single feeling.

Lexa's hand slowly begins to slide down the blonde's belly, over the girl's light T-shirt. Slowly, that Clarke just reflexively leans forward to meet the hand, wanting more.

Lexa kissing to Clarke's earlobe, gently. Again and again. Almost weightless, and the brunette's hand remained motionless, stopping on the zipper of the blonde's shorts. Clarke can literally feel everything down below begin to throb, and a new wave of excitation builds up in the lower abdomen. Where Lexa's hand is, everything starts to literally ignite.

The brunette slips her thumb under the hem of Clarke's shorts and pulls the fabric forward slightly, causing the blonde's thighs to reflexively follow her hand.

Clarke puts hand on Lexa's, pulling her closer to herself. Squeezes, and then turns her face towards the lips of the brunette. Feels how warm and tender kisses cover neck, then cheekbones, cheeks, corner of lips. Lexa pressed her forehead to the blonde's temple, covering eyes and enjoying her already uneven breathing.

Hands are already burning with fire, and in the lower abdomen everything just begins to pull painfully. Want more to madness ...

\- “I’ll stop, just tell me,” Lexa whispers in a hoarse voice against the blonde’s cheek as hand slowly rises higher, clinging to the hem of blonde's shirt. Begins to lift her higher, exposing Clarke's stomach. Feels a slight tremor emanating from the body opposite, and again kisses the corner of her lips, feeling that she barely noticeably smiles.

\- “Just don’t stop,” Clarke answers quietly, making it clear that she is more than ready ...

And the brunette immediately pulled the fabric up. Clarke raises arms above head to help take off her shirt while wearing only shorts and a black bra. Feels someone else's hands on her waist, and pleasant goosebumps again run through her body. She feels heat all over skin, radiating from the body behind her. And it drives crazy.

Lexa's hand slides under the fabric of her shorts, stroking and feeling all the heat radiating from Clarke. The brunette's pupils literally eclipsed the green iris, giving way to a dark veil of excitement. She catches the quiet moans escaping from Clarke's lips, and this turns on even more, and the desire to completely take possession of this body becomes almost an animal.

The brunette's lips touch Clarke's bare shoulder. Griffin tilts head slightly to the side, giving Lexa more room for kissing. The body now and then gives in to Butler's hand, which is still below, literally teasing the blonde.

With her free hand, Lexa touches the blonde's shoulder and begins to pull the strap of the bra off, letting her fall freely from the shoulder. The hand stretches even lower, sliding along the forearm and moving onto the blonde's bare stomach.  
Lexa runs fingers up and down, and then abruptly turns the blonde over to face her and immediately presses her into the table opposite.

A flame flared up in blue eyes, and everything between legs aches and pulsates so much that it becomes impossible.  
Lexa grabs the blonde by the buttocks and sets her on the table. Her hands immediately reach for the clasp of her bra, eager to get rid of it immediately.

She throws the thing aside, and immediately her lips cover Clarke's with a new wave of lust and passion. Her hands slide along the blonde's back, and Clarke is just beginning to wriggle in Lexa's arms and rub her hips against her, wanting closer contact. She grabs the brunette by the neck, pulling her even closer to herself. Clarke's hands slide along Lexa's back, and she clings to the edge of the T-shirt, and then with a jerk pulls up, pulling her off the desired body, and Lexa momentarily moves away from the blonde, just to get free from the shirt, and then again kisses the blonde on the lips. Lexa bites lip lightly and starts breathing noisily into the opposite lips when feels Clarke's hand between legs and how she began to stroke it through the fabric of jeans. Breath chokes, and her hands glide frantically over Clarke's delicate skin, feeling the velvet skin under fingers.  
Lexa slides her nails weightlessly along blonde's back and gets a hoarse moan in response. Lexa catches him right there, kissing again, tongue penetrating the blonde's parted lips.

The brunette grabs Clarke by the buttocks again, carrying her onto the bed. She gently puts her on the bed, and then sits on her hips, for a moment allowing herself to enjoy her beauty. Her body, memorizing every last one. A moment, and then she bends over the blonde, resting hands on both sides of her, and begins to kiss first on the lips, biting lightly, so that they literally begin to burn with fire. Goes down, kissing on the chin, leaving a wet path of kisses, going down even lower, to the neck, collarbones ...

Clarke squeezes the fabric under her fingers in hands even more and pulls on herself, as if it will help her at least a little to keep moans bursting out. She bites lip and closes eyes, throwing head back. And a vulgar groan escapes her lips when the brunette's lips touched her breasts ...

Lexa pulls back from Clarke's chest, sitting on her hips. She looks at the blonde from top to bottom and, without taking eyes off, begins to take off her bra. Slowly, feeling Clarke's devouring gaze on herself. It turns on with such force that it gets so wet between the legs and everything is on fire.

Clarke stands up, coming face to face with the brunette, looking into her eyes. Her hands slide along the brunette's bare back, going down to the buttocks, moving her as close as possible. Lexa's hands cover Clarke's face, gently stroking her cheeks, cheekbones. The thumb slides over the blonde's lower lip. The green eyes are riveted to the opposite lips. Lexa's eyes are as dark as night. They are bottomless, but a bright flame ignites in them ...

\- “I want you so badly,” the brunette whispers against the lips, kissing Clarke weightlessly on the corner of her lips. Kisses on the chin, ear. She nuzzles her cheek, feeling the warm breath on lips.

And then she again kisses on the lips, slightly pushing the blonde back and hanging from above. Lexa kisses her and then grabs her hands and raises them higher, holding them above Clarke's head. Lexa holds the blonde's wrists with one hand, while the other begins to slide over the blonde's chest. Her thin fingers glide weightlessly over the velvet skin of the blonde, going down the hollow of her chest, feeling the heat radiating from Clarke's body under her fingers.  
Runs over the ribs, and Clarke immediately arches. Lexa's hand slides lower, going down to the navel, and then penetrates further, under the fabric of the shorts. And Clarke sucks in air noisily and lets out a no longer quiet moan when she feels the brunette's fingers on the pulsing point, and bites her lip, feeling wet kisses on chest.

Lexa lets go of Clarke's hands and immediately slides lower, wanting to remove the last obstacle on the way to the desired one. And the brunette immediately pulls everything from Clarke, leaving the blonde completely naked.

Clarke throws her head back and squeezes the tissue under her fingers tighter as she feels Lexa's lips on her stomach and as she rises higher to her chest, collarbones, neck ... To her lips ... kissing with all feeling, cupping her face. She slides her tongue over the blonde's lips, and then gently bites Clarke's cheek and chin. Bites the skin on the neck. Clarke can only breathe noisily and can barely hold back moans. The body is heated to the maximum. Passion and lust clouded the mind.

Lexa pulls away from the blonde, sitting on her hips again, hands reaching for the zipper of her own jeans. She slowly starts to unbutton them, looking down at Clarke. Griffin's throat is dry, and she literally feels all the heat and a new wave of excitation between her legs, watching Lexa. The way she takes off her pants. Shoots in such a way that it drives crazy. Her look is maddening.

Clarke immediately rises higher and at the same moment turns the brunette onto her back, hanging from above. She clearly likes this position, and the blonde continues what Lexa started ...

Her hands reach for the zipper of Butler's jeans, and Lexa begins to breathe noisily as Clarke reaches under the fabric of brunette's panties, starting to stroke the sensitive spot. Feels all the excitation of the brunette, and the pupils of the blue eyes become darker than the night. There is no strength to endure anymore, and Clarke goes down below, starting to pull off the excess from the brunette.

Clarke looms over the brunette again, staring into her eyes. Lexa's hands reach for Clarke's face. She gently strokes the blonde on the cheek, placing the strand that has fallen out behind her ear, and then pulls her to herself and just kisses, hugging and hugging her. Quiet moans escaped the girls' lips as Clarke began to swing her hips towards the brunette's. A hoarse moan escapes Clarke's lips as she feels the brunette's hand there ...

Lexa caresses Clarke, feeling hot moisture envelop her fingers.

\- "Please ..." Clarke whispers hoarsely against the lips opposite, and Lexa can no longer hesitate ...

She covers Clarke's lips with hers, wanting to stifle her moan when she senses that the brunette has entered ...

Lexa turns the blonde onto her back, still moving in her. Continues to kiss her lips and neck. To catch her vulgar moans when the brunette begins to increase the tremors and go deeper. Clarke digs nails into Lexa's back and throws head back, letting out a groan in her throat. Lexa continues to move towards Clarke's hips.

Lexa's hand is woven into blond strands, and lips find Her. The desire to feel every moan, every breath in and out on her lips becomes unbearable for Lexa. She wants to feel the blonde with her whole body. And always feel the heat of her body. Hear her soft moans. The name from her lips ... it's the most beautiful thing Lexa has heard in her entire life, and she swear that she would give everything to hear it again and again ...

Clarke hugs the brunette closer to herself when she feels blonde's on the edge. The groans are getting louder and the breathing is insane. Lexa feels the muscles around her fingers begin to shudder. And she immediately bites into the lips of the blonde, catching her moan when she reaches orgasm ...

The girls catch their breath. Lexa breathes noisily into Clarke's neck, feeling her back itch a little from the slight scratching. Feels like the blonde's arms are still hugging brunette, not wanting to let go. And this is not required.

Lexa kisses the blonde's ear, hair. Her hands involuntarily begin to stroke Clarke's blond curls, twisting them around her finger. It is so good and calm now that no words are required. Just want to lie in this position until dawn ...

\- "Do you know what I want?" Clarke said, smiling. Lexa chuckled into the blonde's neck and still, lifting her head, looked into the sparkling eyes opposite.

\- "Chocolate?" The brunette raises an eyebrow, smiling at the corner of lips. And Clarke smiled back, shaking head and looking into the green eyes opposite.

\- "You ..." the blonde answers and immediately turns Lexa under her, kissing and wanting to take possession of this girl tonight ...


	12. Among own

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The story follows a cheerful female artist named Clarke Griffin. Clarke is studying at the Otis College of Art in Los Angeles with her best friend Octavia, who soon introduces the blonde to her boyfriend's sister, Alexandria Butler. A biker woman whose heart is extremely difficult to get to. Or almost impossible ...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A translation of С рассветом by KristinaKreisi  
> This fanfic was translated from Russia into English with permission of author  
> Author name: KristinaKreisi  
> Her work on website: https://ficbook.net/readfic/4009739
> 
> Sorry My English is not good so i hope you like and enjoy it

A deep breath, and brunette's lungs are filled with the delicate aroma of the girl's body opposite, the sweet smell of which hits Lexa's nose right there, and a warm smile appears on her face. The brunette, eyes still closed, is acutely aware of the warmth radiating from Clarke. All skin feels the warm rays of the sun that freely pierce the thick glass of windows. Lexa hears a quiet puffing opposite and, smiling wider, moves closer to the blonde, burying nose in her cheek.

Lexa opens her eyes and with a smile continues to look at the peacefully sleeping blonde. Clarke's lips involuntarily depict the letter «o», which cannot but touch Butler, and she just gently kisses the blonde on the nose. Clarke just frowns funny.

Lexa reaches out to the blonde's face and slides weightlessly over the blond strands. Memories of this night stand so brightly before eyes. Lexa remembers every look; every inhalation and exhalation; every groan and every word. The sensations from the hot whisper of the desired lips are still stored in her memory ...

And the brunette shyly smiles that, finally, this is her first morning without another nightmare. She feels safe. She is calm. It lets her go ...

\- “Good morning,” Lexa whispers softly as she continues stroking Clarke's hair, and the blonde breaks into a smile as she lies with her eyes still closed.

\- "Good," the blonde answers, literally purring from pleasant touches.

Clarke reluctantly opens eyes. The smile on the opposite spreads warmth all over the body. The blonde still cannot believe that this is reality. That the beloved girl lies next to her and smiles. That the brunette responded to her feelings and let into her heart. Everything is just beginning, but this is a sure step towards the future. Everything is on the right path ...

\- “I feel so good now,” Clarke whispers, glancing over the brunette's face. She moves a little closer and kisses Lexa gently on the corner of her lips. She sucks in the air and closes eyes again, continuing to lie there and feel the warm breath on face.

\- "And you do not want something sweet at all?" Lexa raises an eyebrow playfully, smiling wider. Supports head with hand and continues to look at the girl opposite. Clarke laughs hoarsely.

\- "I want..." the blonde purrs, moving closer to the brunette, starting to kiss on the neck. Lexa smiles, throwing head back and leaning back, letting the blonde cover her body with hers.

Kisses on the lips and smiles through the kiss, when the brunette's hands slipped under the covers and began to run shamelessly over Clarke's naked body. Griffin climbs on Lexa's thighs and begins to shower kisses on her neck, going down to the collarbones; breasts; belly, and a quiet groan escapes the brunette's lips from how each touch is felt, as if all the nerves are bare and madly sensitive. Each kiss responds with a pleasant impulse in the body, and goose bumps run all over the body in a herd.

Clarke pulls back for a moment and looks at the brunette's tattoo. Continuing to lie on the hot body of the brunette, Clarke slides fingers over the brunette's hand, touching the intricate pattern, repeating her outline. Lexa closes eyes, enjoying the moment.

\- “It's so beautiful,” Clarke whispers with a barely perceptible hoarseness, and then leans closer and kisses her hand and every inch of the image hammered into her skin, like an eternal reminder of something ...

And then she rises higher again and, for a moment allowing herself to look into the green eyes opposite, kisses with a new wave of lust, completely surrendering to her feelings again ...

*****

\- “Mind you, this was the last fucking time when I’m on a date in the woods,” Octavia’s discontent can be heard as the door of the mansion opens and the girl and the rest of the family enter the house and drag their bags.   
\- "This is fucking not romantic, and in general my date was with forest animals. Very successful, by the way," the brown-haired woman does not calm down, passing into the living room and throwing bags on the floor.

\- "It was gre ..." was about to say Link, as in response he heard a unison «no!» from girls. Bell just grinned, kissing Luna on the temple.

\- "This is fucking awful. Luna's toxicosis seemed to have worsened a hundred times. She's really not cool. And you are hopeless," she points her finger at the guys and follows to the kitchen.

Octavia puts the kettle on and starts making herself some coffee.

\- “Good morning,” Clarke flies into the kitchen, a little shabby. The blonde is wearing hastily put on shorts and a slightly crumpled T-shirt that has been lying somewhere in the corner all night. Clarke runs a hand carelessly through hair and sits down at the table. A happy smile breaks from lips.

\- “Good,” Luna says, sitting down at the table and resting hand on head. Octavia turned around and, squinting, began to look at her friend, noticing a spark in her friend's behavior. She is silent and turns around again, making coffee for herself and Clarke. Separately, she pours the juice to Luna and hands it to her. She sits down opposite the happy blonde and glances at her from under brows.

\- "Good morning everyone! How did everything go?" enters Lexa's kitchen, almost in the same condition as Clarke. Octavia immediately glances at the brunette, who sits down next to Griffin. The brown-haired woman immediately began to look at them, as if she was a mother, suspecting them of something obscene.

\- "Do you feel what it smells like?" Says Octavia, glancing at the girls. Clarke continues to drink coffee in bewilderment, and the brunette, grinning, began to glance at the blonde.

\- "What? I do not feel anything." Luna replies, glancing at Blake. Octavia rolls her eyes and waves her hand, pointing at the girls opposite.

\- "It's the smell of sex!" exclaims the brown-haired woman, which is why Clarke immediately spat all the coffee back into the cup, which almost poured out of her nose. Lexa doesn't hold back a smile. - "Have you slept?" throws up hands Octavia. There is silence in response, and Lexa only moves closer to Clarke, and nuzzling on the top of her head. - "Lord, while I fought off the bloodsucking mosquitoes, they," O waves her hand towards the girls, - "had sex all the time. See?" Octavia turns her gaze to Link who has just entered the kitchen. - "This is how a date should be!"

The rest of O's cries were no longer heard by the girls, as they were completely immersed in themselves. Clarke smiles like a teenage girl in love, from the brunette's soft whispers and her tender kisses in the ear.

Lexa silently gets up from the table and, taking Clarke's hand in hers, leads her out of the house.

\- "Let's go somewhere with you, mmm?" the brunette smiles, leaving the house and dragging Clarke after. Immediately draws the blonde closer to herself and hugs.

\- “You're barefoot and in your pajamas,” Clarke laughs, glancing around at them, noticing that they are standing barefoot on the front porch. The sun is already stubbornly starting to hit in eyes.

\- “I don't care,” Butler shrugs, cupping Clarke's face in hands and pulling close for a kiss.

Gently covers her soft lips with own, and Clarke's hands involuntarily cling to the edge of Lexa's T-shirt, and then grabs the brunette around the waist, snuggling closer. She stands on tiptoes, kissing soft lips with great pressure, so that the brunette involuntarily moves back, resting her hips against the railing.

\- "I would love to, but I have to go soon. In the afternoon I have preparatory courses," the blonde sighs, looking up from the desired lips. Lexa hums in displeasure, nuzzling Clarke's cheek. And she, smiling, strokes the brunette on the face. She touches brunette's lip with thumb and kisses again. On the cheek; near the spout; in the corner of the lips, and then just gently kisses. - "Let's do it next time. Mmm?" showers with small kisses on the lips, achieving a brunette's smile.

\- "Okay," Butler smiles, - "agreed. But then we'll go somewhere. Only you and me," kisses the blonde on the nose, and then inhales the scent of her skin. She grabs her face in palms and pulls closer to herself, again covering her lips.

*****

The relationship of the girls went on as usual. Business in the afternoon, complete privacy with each other in the evening. It was already the end of the month, and very soon Clarke and Octavia would begin their studies. Girls spend more time with their loved ones, realizing that later the time will be much less.

Meanwhile Lexa is indirectly trying to dig deeper about the night before the accident. In the evenings, when she is alone, without Clarke, the brunette just continues to sit in front of the wreckage of the bike, collecting in her head all the scraps of memories in a sensible pile, but it’s hard to get out. However, in spite of the fact that she cannot remember anything significant, she is more than one hundred percent sure that the culprit was someone not from her team for sure. She clearly understood that someone from Nia's team could be the culprit. And the worst part is that some of them did have reasons ... Good reasons ...

All these thoughts simply haunt the brunette, forcing her to plunge headlong into painful memories from the fateful night. Sitting here on the hood of pickup and endlessly looking at the wreckage is not an option, and therefore, the brunette is more than sure that it is worth giving this business a boost ...

Lexa, picking up the phone, began sorting through the wreckage and photographing some details from different angles. Looks through the entire braking system over and over again. Her jaw clenches harder and she just closes her eyes, rubbing the bridge of her nose wearily. This haunts the brunette. Least of all in the world she wants to know the truth, which, most likely, she will regret ...

*****

The sun sets over the Los Angeles skyline. Warm rays walk on the leaves of the trees. The cemetery is pretty deserted. There are practically no people. The green field is strewn with tombstones, dissected by asphalt paths. Quiet and serene.

Nia, squatting in front of her sister's tombstone, places flowers on stone. Everything in soul is also empty and painful. The girl just looks at the inscription engraved on the stone, and her heart seems to be bleeding again. She closes eyes and remembers that evening again and again. She reproaches herself for refusing her sister. Beats herself for leaving that night. She reproaches herself for everything at once, and in particular she reproaches Lexs. She berates them both. They are both to blame for what happened. And she hates it with all her heart. Just want to howl from the pain and guilt that she experiences every time.

Her sister was a child. She was so young. Costia's life was just beginning. She could achieve so much. She was gifted by God. Of the three, she deserved life more than anyone else. Lexa and Nia knew this like no one else, but instead of all this Costia left, leaving the girls alone, as if not realizing that living together in this world and sharing this pain and hatred for each other was the most unbearable. There is no curse stronger than this ...

\- “You nevertheless deigned to appear,” Nia said, not even looking back, knowing that there was a brunette behind her. The voice of the brown-haired woman sounds impassive. Empty.

Lexa just swallows, lifting her chin a little higher, looking at the back of the girl who is still kneeling in front of her sister. The sun's rays glide playfully over the black leather of Johnson's jacket, over her jet-black hair. It is so quiet, and only the quiet sounds of birds dilute the atmosphere. For some reason, right now Lexa feels unimaginable lightness.

Today another year has passed since Costia passed away. One more year ... One more after the fateful night.

\- "What is the degree of your hatred for me?" the voice of the brunette sounded also impassive and dry. Her voice trembled treacherously because of the approaching lump in throat. The thought that Nia could hate her so much that she was ready to destroy ... 

\- "Probably the same as yours to me," the brown-haired woman chuckles, continuing to sit and blindly look at the stove.

\- "I don't hate you. At least not enough to wish for death,” the brunette snorted, clenching her jaw harder. She closes eyes and lowers head. The eyes tingle unpleasantly. Inhale, and the brunette tries to calm her surging emotions. Golden rays of the sun break through the eyelids, flooding everything with light. One, two, three and the body relaxes again.

\- “What are you talking about, Butler,” Nia sighs in annoyance, casting a sidelong glance to the side, catching Lexa's silhouette behind her.

\- "Did you hate me so much that you were ready to get rid of me by any means? So much so that was ready to go over the heads, so long as your sister never entered my life? Was your hatred for me so strong? Tell me the fuck was it all worth it ?!" the brunette boils, literally spitting out every word and, each time raising her voice one tone higher, she stops. Silence.

Nia's face is bewildered. The most real. Hearing these words from the brunette was something of a catalyst for her feelings. She never wondered how she felt for Lexa, other than being angry with her for what happened. But if dig deeper, what does she feel about her? This was not hate. She has very different feelings. Pity, regret. Almost everything that she feels for herself. But is she ready to show it to Lexa? No! Not ready yet ...

Nia is still silent, lowering her head and looking forward, lifting her head to the sky and watching the leaves of the tree overhead, through the crowns of which the rays of the evening sun break through.

Lexa looks at the brown-haired woman's back. Without waiting for an answer, she takes a stack of photographs from her bag and, taking a step closer, tosses them on the tombstone, right in front of Nia's eyes.

\- "Answer me!" Lexa tries to keep her voice as calm as possible, waiting for an answer. Nia just frowns, her hands reaching for the photographs.

Nia starts looking at them. One by one, examining each of them in detail.

\- "What is it?" still asks Johnson in bewilderment, getting to feet, but continuing to stand with her back to Lexa.

\- “This is all that remains of the wreckage of my bike from that night." Lexa clenches her jaw tighter, trying not to lose her temper. Lexa is a little surprised by Nia's bewilderment. Something is wrong.

\- “I don’t understand, Butler!" the brown-haired woman boils, turning to face the brunette. - "What do you want to tell me by that?!" Nia quickly started flipping through the photos, glancing at Lexa, then at the photo. And her hand slows down when she sees the next photo. - "What is it?" The girl asks again, but her voice has noticeably subsided. Before her is a photo, which shows the same wires close up, one of which shows an even cut.

\- "I want to hear from you. Tell me the fuck that all this crap isn't your work!" The brunette hisses, swallowing every lump in her throat and pointing her finger at the photo in Nya's hands, seeking a definite answer in return.

\- "Tell me you're not serious now?" Nia's face is distorted by a grimace filled with bewilderment and distinct notes of pain. It begins to reach her, and a painful lump begins to squeeze her throat. - “I don’t hate you, Lexa! I have never had this disgusting feeling for you. Anything but this. And I never wanted you dead!" the girl breaks down, looking straight into the eyes opposite. Lexa lifts her chin proudly, her green eyes filling with tears. The girl swallows. - "Yes, I was far from happy that she contacted you. After all, you are the sure road to danger! But I was calm at the same time, you know? I knew she would be safe with you, God!" exhales Nia and immediately turns her back to the brunette, running hand through hair and wiping away tears that have not rolled down. The hand, which still holds the photographs, falls down, and the girl turns her gaze to the sky. - "I was sure that you would protect her from everything. I trusted her to you, Lexa!" says the brown-haired woman quietly, turning her head to the side, again catching the image of Butler behind her. Lexa looks down, staring blindly at the headstone. - "I entrusted her to you ... I know that you loved her, and only this warmed my soul. And God, she loved you so much ..." Nia smiles painfully, dropping her head down. - "She fluttered. She shone like the morning sun every time she was next to you or came from you. She talked about you incessantly, and I realized that everything was not so bad. I realized that I could trust her to you when she once said that you forbid her even to touch the bike. You protected her as much as I did, and I was sure that now I was not alone and could keep her away from this. In this you and I are alike. We only wanted the best for her. But everything turned out exactly the opposite ... I never wanted you dead. Never ..." the brown-haired woman switched to a whisper. She shakes her head and continues to stare blindly ahead.

\- "Someone wanted, Nia," Lexa swallowed a lump from the surging emotions after the words of the brown-haired woman. The voice was still trembling noticeably. - "If not you, then one of yours. The one who had access to my bikes. I don't know if it was before or after the start of the gathering, but whoever did it was close to me, at arm's length."

\- "Who needs it?" Nia's face lights up again with misunderstanding, and she immediately turns to face Butler.

\- "I want to find out. I will find the very rat that caused this to happen. And I swear, as soon as I find it, I will kill!" The brunette hissed, pointing her finger at Costia's tombstone. And for a moment, looking into the opposite eyes, and she turns around and just leaves, leaving Nia looking at the picture of that very bike in bewilderment ...

*****

Evening. The brunette rewinds today's conversation with Nia, and everything becomes more confusing than it was. It didn't get any easier, only worse. Who could want her dead and why? What could have happened? To whom did she cross the road? It all drove to a frenzy.

The anger grew every time Lexa had only deepened into her thoughts. The deeper she digs, the more the wave of rage overcomes her. A little more, and she just won't stand it. She knew that the past would sooner or later make itself felt in full, but so that ... She was afraid of only one thought that it was done by one of her own. And despite her conflicts with Nia, Lexa and the Johnson team had a warm relationship. They were friends. Everyone, but who could have stumbled and stabbed in the back? Who…

\- "What are you thinking about?" Clarke's voice knocks Lexa out of her thoughts. The brunette immediately recoiled from the pickup and, rubbing her eyes, turned to face the blonde who had just entered.

\- “Nothing,” the brunette tried to put on a smile, but it didn't work out. Clarke noticed this and decided not to back down. She is worried and most of all wants Lexa to share with her. She deserves it.

\- “Tell me.” Clarke's voice is calm with a touch of warmth. She tilts her head to the side, eyeing Butler and waiting for an answer.

\- “I don’t want to talk about it, Clarke,” Lexa tries to keep it low, trying to get away from the topic.

\- "Do you want to shut from me out again?" Clarke is clearly determined to continue and does not intend to back down. If Lexa starts to build a wall, then Clarke has to break through it at the very beginning, or it will only get worse. But Lexa believes that the best way to preserve relationships is to hide the past and deal with them on your own. Where is the correct solution? Don't have it...

\- “It's about the accident, Clarke. I don’t want to discuss this, please,” Lexa throws up hands in irritation, turning her back to the blonde and walking into the workshop. Clarke continues to stand still, squinting at her back.

\- "It seemed to me that you let it go ..." in the blonde's voice, there are notes of some resentment and even jealousy. All because Lexa still hasn't let go of the past. She's still chasing something. Behind the ghosts of the past, not letting Clarke go any further. She thought it was over, but ... apparently not.

Something unpleasantly stabbed in heart. Some unpleasant feeling squeezes her lungs, from the realization that Lexa still does not belong to her. That the brunette is still in the chains of the past ... That her heart is still in Costia's captivity. Clarke's pupils barely perceptibly trembled from the realization of this fact, and the blonde, swallowing a lump in her throat, quietly asked:

\- "Do you love her?" the blonde's voice literally faded away, and she just exhaled the last word. Lexa's gaze immediately turned to stone. Her green eyes immediately darted to the blind spot opposite, and something in her chest began to boil.

\- "What are you saying, Clarke?" irritation is already clearly audible in Butler's voice. She doesn't like it all. This question took the brunette by surprise. How can answer it?

\- “Damn, just answer me!" Clarke flushed visibly at the fact that Lexa hesitated. This served as a sensible answer. Clarke realized that she knew Butler's answer, and if she heard it now, then everything would go down completely. The heart is gaining momentum, and everything begins to grow cloudy in the eyes. - "Do you love her?" Clarke hissed again and immediately flinched when she heard a cry burst out throughout the room.

\- "Yes! I love," Lexa turned sharply and shouted these words so that Clarke immediately wanted to die. - "I love, I loved and I will love!" The brunette shouted again, jabbing her finger at the floor. A second and she falls silent.

There was silence.

So deaf. Lexa stares into the reddened eyes opposite, and the awareness of what she has heard pierces her thoughts. She immediately regretted what she said ...

Clarke swallows the lump, gazing steadily into the green eyes opposite, in which anger splashed a second ago, and now replaced by confusion and regret.

Clarke just steps back and the image of the brunette begins to float in front of her eyes as a veil of tears obscures everything in front of her. Another step back, and the blonde wipes away tears.

\- "Clarke..." Lexa's voice trembles. The whole body begins to tremble with fear of what might happen now. She seems to foresee everything one step ahead. And her biggest fear is that Clarke will take the next step ...  
And Clarke does it ...

She simply turns around and swiftly leaves the garage, while Lexa continues to stare blindly after the blonde. It was at this moment that the brunette's voice seemed to be taken away. Lexa knows she hasn't said everything. She did not tell to Clarke the main thing ... and the worst thing can be that this will be the last thing she could tell Clarke...


	13. To extinguish the past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The story follows a cheerful female artist named Clarke Griffin. Clarke is studying at the Otis College of Art in Los Angeles with her best friend Octavia, who soon introduces the blonde to her boyfriend's sister, Alexandria Butler. A biker woman whose heart is extremely difficult to get to. Or almost impossible ...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A translation of С рассветом by KristinaKreisi  
> This fanfic was translated from Russia into English with permission of author  
> Author name: KristinaKreisi  
> Her work on website: https://ficbook.net/readfic/4009739
> 
> Sorry My English is not good so i hope you like and enjoy it

Clarke's school year has already begun, and the blonde is completely and fully immersed in studies. This, in some way, saved her from the mental pain after the words of the brunette. Lexa hurt her badly.

No wonder they say that sometimes words can hurt much more than even the blade of a knife. And that was true.

Clarke all these days, was like a robot, went to couples and from there to extracurricular activities, and then home. And so day after day: study, extra classes, dormitory. Emotional state: zero. The eyes are empty. Forever in thoughts. Enthusiasm no longer splashes in her eyes or in her actions. She no longer listens to lectures with such enviable interest as before.

The blonde was burned again. She believed that Lexa would no longer hurt her, but ... everyone is wrong ...

\- “I know you don’t want to talk to me about this, but…” Octavia is making her 100th attempt to talk to her friend about what happened and why she’s as dead as she was during their first quarrel.

Octavia sits in a chair next to her friend, resting one hand on the table and pushing the food tray aside. Clarke's gaze was fixed on this breakfast tray, but as soon as Octavia pushed it away, the blonde's gaze did not even move, and she continued to stare blindly in front of her, folding her hands on the table.

\- “Clarke,” the brown-haired woman continues, gently touching her friend’s hand, - “look at me.

Clarke continues to stare at the same point. She feels like a little more, and the dam of her feelings will break through. She can feel the tears collecting in her eyes. Octavia, by caring, only makes things worse. The last thing Clarke wants is to burst into tears.

The blonde closes eyes, lowering head down. She draws in air and exhales in an effort to calm feelings and chest pain. She opens already reddened eyes again and turns gaze to Blake. She catches her worried look, and the only thing Clarke wants now is for her friend to understand that everything is fine. She knows how Octavia worries about her every time, and she doesn't want to make her friend worry again. After all, everything will calm down. Necessarily ...

\- "Everything is fine, O," the blonde smiles timidly, wiping eyes, and then covers her friend's palm,   
\- "Really. I need a little time, okay?" Clarke's voice is slightly wheezing due to a lump in her throat, but she speaks quite confidently, and Octavia breathes a sigh of relief and puts on a warm smile.

Blake does not know what exactly happened between the girls, but she is more than sure that Clarke ran into Lexa's sharp thorns. Again. But despite all this, Octavia decides not to get involved in this matter. She understands that girls just need time to discuss everything. Everything will be alright.

\- “Okay,” Octavia smiles softly. Then, taking the phone out of her pocket, she began to actively flip through something, and then again turned her gaze to her friend.   
\- "The girls call us to the beach in the evening. Tell me that we will go, because I really want to rest," sighs O, looking at her friend with puppy eyes.

Clark smiles wider. She really wants to go to the beach herself. I would like to rest and relax a little. And the sound of the ocean is what a blonde needs.

\- "I'd love to ..."

*****

\- “You’ve been lying in this state for the fifth hour already,” Anya sighs, plopping down on the trunk of a pickup truck, that the car swayed slightly, but not Lexa, who lying under the scorching rays of the sun and looking at the clear blue sky. No emotion on my face. Hands are folded over the stomach. The brunette is in this state throughout the week. All in itself and in that very evening.

That dialogue with Clarke turns into an endless ribbon in her head. Over and over and over again. The brunette closes eyes, trying to numb the pain of what happened. And the image of a blonde girl, with eyes wet with tears, clearly stands in front of her. The moment when Clarke leaves, it hurts Lexa tremendous. She becomes scared again, and something unpleasantly aching in her chest. She realizes with all her heart that she does not deserve forgiveness. And she will understand if Clarke decides to break up with her, because Griffin did not deserve such treatment. Lexa realizes she doesn't deserve Clarke. But god, the worst part is that Lexa just can't live without the blonde. She misses so much that her heart breaks with pain and fear of losing Clarke forever ...

Lexa gave herself a clear instruction: to let Clarke and herself cool down a little, and then start making attempts to return the blonde. Lexa didn't call or text to the blonde, knowing that Clarke would just ignore her. She understands that the blonde needs to be given a little time to cool down, and then start small steps. Lexa is ready to kneel in front of Clarke, just for her to come back. She will fight until Clarke makes it clear that everything is over between them to the end and irrevocably.

\- "You messed up again," Anya begins to speak again, leaning back a little, resting hands on the hot metal of the trunk, and throwing head up, looking at the sky, - "and you are right, thinking that you do not deserve her. Damn Lexa,   
and there is. She really loves you so much that despite everything you do to her, she does not break up with you. Look, even now," the girl throws hand up, pointing to emptiness, - "she just does not speak to you. Doesn't break up with you, but a normal person would have given up on you long ago after this."

\- “I know,” Lexa draws out, still staring blindly at the sky.

\- "You do not know. How long do you think it will last?" Anya turns back, looking at her friend. - "Hardly for long. Don't you think it's time to do something already? Or you will lose her too ..."

\- "I know…"

\- "You know nothing!" the brown-haired woman snorts, jumping from the car. - "You still haven't fully revealed to her. You still keep her out. Open up to her, damn it, or ... it will be too late ..." and with these words Anya turned around and walked away, leaving her friend again immersed in her thoughts.

*****

The sun is already setting below the horizon. The beach is full of students. Someone conquers the waves, someone plays volleyball, someone drinks cocktails in an open bar, someone continues to lie on the bedspread and draw something simple. Or rather Clarke, listening to old songs of the nineties, drawing uncomplicated sketches. Fully enjoys the warm rays of the evening sun.

The blonde looks up from the book, leaning elbows on her hand, turns gaze to the ocean. She runs her gaze over the amusing students and smiles, watching the funny moments. As someone flopped in the   
water, falling from the board; how one girl was hit by a ball, and the whole cocktail splashed on her lush chest, and her face and screams made Clarke laugh sincerely for the first time in recent years.

Now it is so good and easy that the blonde with all the fibers of her body does not want this evening to end.

\- "Hey, Clarke," the familiar voice of Chris breaks through the enchanting voice of Frank Sinatra.  
The brunette plops down on the bedspread next to the blonde, friendly pushing on the shoulder. Clarke smiles again as pulls the earpiece out of ear and hums lazily.

\- "Mmm," to which the brunette smiles again, glancing at Clarke's sketchbook, and then again at her friend.

\- "I don't know what happened during the holidays, while we were away, but I'm more than sure that you fell in love," the girl closes her eyes and, shrugging shoulders, gives out: - "Okay, I'm not a telepath, and someone whispered to us that you are in amorous affairs," Chris winks and continues to smile, and Clarke just cannot help but smile back, although in heart it becomes sad again that everything is not as beautiful as they write about it in books.

\- “There something in this,” Clarke is not surprised that Chris knows about this. Is mostly Clarke's close friends and knows about the girl's relationship. Clarke hasn't said anything to her parents yet. Maybe for the better so far.

\- "Don't be sad, okay? Do you remember that it is you who should radiate joy and inspire everyone else, not me?" the girl raises an eyebrow and smiles sincerely. The blonde is clearly glad to return to her studies and friends again.

\- “You do it very well,” Griffin smiles sincerely, pushing the girl in the shoulder.

\- “Stop it, I already know that,” Chris waves hand and the girls laugh again.

\- "Dr. Marie's Healing Latte, who ordered?" a voice is heard nearby, and the girls immediately looked at a blonde girl approaching them, carrying two lattes.

\- "Do you know who God is and reads thoughts?" Chris looks at Clarke, raising an eyebrow. Clarke laughs as the brunette points a finger at the girl who sits down next to them.   
\- “This woman,” Chris smiles again and turns to the girl, taking the latte cups from her hands. One holds out to Clarke, knowing that the blonde loves him as much as Chris herself.

\- "You are very caring," the blonde smiles warmly, taking her favorite drink from her friend's hands.

\- “We are like that,” Marie shrugs, lying on her back and resting head on a nearby brunette. Chris takes a sip of coffee, then hands it to Mari.

\- "Where is O?" Mari asks, giving the glass back to the brunette.

\- “She left for a cocktail twenty minutes ago, but she never came back,” Clarke laughs, taking a sip and looking at the ocean.

\- "How similar it is to Marie," Chris chuckles, taking a sip, and in return gets a pinch in shoulder, - "oooh ..."

Clarke smiles as she listens to the girls chatting among themselves. How cute they lisp, but do not go beyond what is permissible, so that there are no awkward moments and everyone is comfortable.

Looking at them, the blonde involuntarily recalls similar moments with Lexa, and a sad smile flickers on her face. She is misses. Strong, but this is not a reason to just take and forget everything that was, and start dating again.

\- "Drunken shore, look who's coming," laughs Marie, pointing finger into the distance, at Octavia, trudging with a glass of cocktail. The girls chuckle at the brown-haired woman, watching as she staggers slightly, trying to walk on the sand.

\- "Who wants a cocktail?" Raises an eyebrow O, raising the glass above head and going up to the girls. In response to which, they answered in unison:

\- "No thanks…"

*****

Lexa wakes up in the morning with a clear goal that today, she has to meet with Clarke. Not seeing a blonde for several days is torture. In the truest sense of the word.

Don't hear her hoarse laugh. Not to see her blue eyes glowing with happiness. Do not feel the silk of her hair and the velvet of her milky skin under her fingers. Not feel the heat of her body next to you. Unbearable. Once again, just want to hug the blonde as before and breathe in her scent, reminiscent of the flowering of lilies of the valley in early spring. Always feel lightness and calmness next to her. And without her, everything is exactly the opposite ...

*****

Clarke sighs lazily as she leaves the college building, hugging the books with both arms, and trudges to a nearby tree just to sit under it and relax. But the chatter of her friends behind her prevents her from doing this.

The blonde finds a shade under a tree, hiding from the scorching sun and stuffing her books into her backpack, puts it aside.

\- “… If Mr. August writes us good characteristics, then we will definitely have a bright future,” the girls continue to chatter, throwing their bags to Clarke's backpack, and then sit side by side.

\- "We have to study for another three years. We will have time to annoy him,” the blonde chuckles, closing eyes and throwing her head back. Enjoys the cool breeze and background noise from students.

\- "Well, you obviously don't annoy him. You are his favorite," grins Marie, lying on her back and putting her head on the brunette's lap.

\- "And they also say that he is a homophobe," Chris grins, fingering Marie's blonde strands.

\- "What nonsense? Where do you get this gossip?" Octavia laughs, pulling a chocolate bar out of her bag.

\- “There’s a lot more gossip here than on Twitter,” Chris justifies, looking around the campus.

\- "Why am I still in touch with you?" Clarke sighs, smiling blissfully as she receives the fresh summer breeze.

Opens eyes, looking at the crowns of trees. So good and it gets a little easier.

It was easier ...

Brakes screech nearby, and the familiar engine sound dies out. Clarkee's pupils immediately dilated and her body tensed. She turns her head to the side and spots a parked pickup truck nearby. A second ... two, and the familiar silhouette of a brunette emerges from it.

Lexa slams the pickup door and then runs a hand through hair. The heart is beating like crazy. Only Clarke is able to make the brunette's heart beat so fast in anticipation of the conversation.

Butler throws hands at the seams and, like an offended puppy, looks over to where Clarke sits and looks at her. An angry mask on blonde's face. The glances last for about a minute, and then the blonde sighs and, taking the backpack in her hands, gets up.

\- “She wants to talk,” Octavia begins, looking up at her friend.

\- “I don’t want to talk to her,” the blonde sighs, putting her backpack on her shoulder. Chris and Marie look in the direction of the pickup.

\- "That's her?" Marie raises her eyebrows, propping herself up on her elbow, continuing to look at the green-eyed image.

\- “Mh,” Griffin hums, thrusting hands into the pockets of pants, and lowers head down, looking at snow-white sneakers, starting to sway back and forth on heels, showing with all her appearance that she does not want to talk, but must.

\- “She’s so cool,” Mari smirks and immediately gasps as Chris pushes her back onto herself, covering her mouth with hand.

\- “Just go and talk to her,” Chris throws, shrugging shoulders and smiling reassuringly at friend.

\- “She’s feels as bad as you, Clarke, trust me,” Octavia defends Lexa.

\- "Really?" Griffin raises eyebrows. - "I don't think ..."

\- "And it would be worth thinking ..."

\- "Okey, I went," the blonde waved hand irritably, trudging to the parking lot.

Lexa looks at Clarke with a sinking heart, and her heart starts beating even faster, which seems to be about to pierce her ribs.

Butler smiles faintly, noticing that Clarke becomes calmer with every step, and in the end, upon reaching the parking lot, becomes neutral.

\- "How do you?" the first thing Lexa asks, not daring to take a step towards the blonde. She looks around the blonde, who, looking down at the asphalt, is simply silent and swallows comas. One voice of a brunette wants to howl. How did it happen?

\- "What do you think?" Clarke answers dryly, continuing to look down. Lexa feels a stab of pain and swallows.  
Griffin closes eyes and, biting lower lip, takes a breath, and then raises head, turning gaze somewhere to the side, just not to look into the green eyes opposite.

\- “I miss,” the brunette says quietly, taking an uncertain step towards the blonde. Clarke's eyes tingled with tears at these words. Her lips twitch and she bites lip again, looking away so Lexa doesn't see her tears. But Lexa sees and feels everything, and her heart just breaks.   
\- "I really miss you," a quiet whisper is heard already at the very ear of Clarke, and the blonde closes eyes, blocking the path of tears.

The blonde yet whimpers when she feels Butler's touch. Lexa strokes the blonde on the cheek, trying to turn her face to herself to look into those blue eyes. Brings her lips to Clarke's forehead, continuing to stroke her face and hair. Whispers softly:

\- "Forgive me," again kisses the blonde on the forehead; in the nose; on the cheek, which is streaming with tears. Clarke sobs, unable to hold back tears. Clarke's hand reaches for the brunette's plaid shirt, and she immediately squeezes it in hand, and then simply leans forward and buries herself in the brunette's neck, completely allowing her to hug her. 

\- “I'm sorry,” Lexa whispers into the blonde hair, hugging the blonde tightly. Kisses on the hair.

\- "Why are you hurting me?" Clarke squishes, drumming into Lexa's neck. In response, the brunette simply replies:

\- “We hurt those we love,” Lexa kisses the blonde hair again, and then pulls back slightly, looking into the tear-stained eyes opposite. With thumb, she gently wipes the tears from the blonde's cheeks and, smiling with the corner of her lips, leans closer and gently kisses blonde on lips.   
\- “I love you,” the brunette whispers, pulling away from the desired lips. - “I want you to know that. I'm crazy about you. I miss very much ..." smiles, seeing the smile on the blonde's face, and again gently kisses on the lips.

\- "Will we talk about it?" The blonde asks, looking into the opposite eyes with her wet eyes. Lexa smiles.

\- "In the evening, okay?"

Clarke nods and leans forward again, diving into the brunette's arms. On the other side of the campus, friends are watching the couple with curiosity.

\- “Say it again,” Clarke is already purring into Lexa's neck, breaking into a silly smile and enjoying the light touch of the brunette on her hair.

\- "Say what?" Butler smiles, nuzzling blond hair and inhaling the beloved scent of blond hair. Clarke pulls away from the brunette, looking into her eyes. Smiles.

\- "That you love me ..." Lexa smiles wider, kissing the blonde on the nose.

\- "I love you, fool," the brunette kisses the blonde on the lips. - "Are you mad at me?" looks into blue eyes, continuing to stroke the blonde's hair.

\- "A little," the blonde grumbles, laying her head on the shoulder of the brunette. Clarke just looks at the bustling students and enjoys the gentle stroking of the brunette.

\- "Can I fix this somehow?" Butler asks, smiling.

\- “I think so,” Clarke purrs, looking playfully into the opposite eyes, then closes the distance and gently kisses the brunette on the lips. - "In the evening," the blonde whispers against the lips and abruptly pulls back, straightening her backpack.

\- "Well, where are you going?" Butler mumbles in displeasure, watching the blonde step back.

\- "Nobody canceled the study," the blonde smiles and, winking, throws: - "Until the evening ..."

*****

Evening. The lights are on in Butler's garage. The silence is diluted with country songs coming from the car, and occasionally the clatter of metal against each other.

Lexa goes through the rubble ...

\- “Hi,” a favorite voice is heard nearby, and the brunette, erect in her back, turns back. A smile appears on her face as Clarke moves closer to her.

The blonde tosses her backpack to the side, walking closer to Butler.

\- “Hi,” Lexa replies, hugging the blonde. Gives a fleeting kiss on the lips, and then pulls back.

\- "Start cleaning?" the blonde grins, raising an eyebrow and looking behind the brunette's back over her shoulder.

Lexa shrugs. Scratching an eyebrow and sighing, she continues, 

\- “I want to get rid of the past, Clarke. I really want this. But it won't let me go…” Lexa closes eyes. Inhale again, and then opens eyes, again turning her gaze into the eyes opposite. Clarke looks at the brunette a little more seriously, expecting to continue:   
\- "What I told you then ..."

\- "Lexa," the blonde sighs, stepping a step closer to the brunette, taking her hands in yours,   
\- "I know that you still love her. I understand this and do not blame you ... And you must not blame yourself for this..."

\- “I love her, and I always will, but she is my past, and you are the future,” the brunette says seriously, putting her hand to the blonde’s cheek, staring into the blue eyes opposite.   
\- "My heart is open to you, do you hear?" Lexa strokes the blonde's cheek. - "I love you. I want us to succeed. I know we have a future.” Clarke smiles at the brunette's words, and she smiles back.

\- "I also want this."

\- “That’s why I want to end the past.” The brunette steps away from Clarke, gesturing toward the rubble.

\- "Are you getting rid of them?" Clarke looks from the wreckage to Lexa.

\- "Yes. I think the time has come." Lexa smiles weakly. - "But one more thing remains unfinished ..." the brunette sighs heavily, closing eyes. She rubs the bridge of nose, and then looks again into the blue eyes opposite. - “Clarke, that evening,” the blonde knew immediately what Lexa was talking about, - “I was so angry. And not on you. It's just ..." The brunette sighs again, dropping her head down. Inhale again, and she smiles painfully as she glances at Clarke. Griffin noticeably tenses up and reflexively leans forward, wanting to touch the brunette and make it clear that everything is fine, that she is there, and that she is not afraid of anything. - "The accident was not accidental, you know?" Clarke immediately frowned, staring into Lexa's lowered eyes. - “Someone wanted me dead, Clarke. Someone hated me so much that they were ready to kill," Lexa reaches out to eyes, rubbing them. A heavy sigh, and a painful smile reappears on her lips. She looks into the blonde's bright eyes and feels how her throat begins to ache due to rising tears, and eyes begin to pinch, to the point that the image of the blonde begins to float before eyes. - "And the worst of all is that it was one of their..." Lexa instantly wipes away a tear that has not rolled down and looks down, looking at intertwined hands. Clarke swallows, and her heart bleeds, seeing her beloved in such a broken state. - "She died because of me ..."

\- "Hey," the blonde whispers, grasping Lexa's face in her hands, urging to look into her eyes, - "look at me. It's not your fault, okay? This is not your fault. I'm sure Cos would never blame you for that. And you shouldn't. It was just the way fate was," Clarke's quiet voice soothes the brunette, and her gentle touches soothe. - “Don't blame yourself, please.” Clarke sensually kisses the brunette on the forehead, and then pulls her to herself and hugs tightly.

\- “I have to find out who did it,” Lexa whispers into the blonde's neck, looking askance at the wreckage.

\- "We will find out and find him. Okay?" Clarke looks into the green eyes opposite. - "We'll do it together. We'll figure it out," gently puts the fallen out strand of hair of the brunette behind her ear and smiles warmer. - “Now let's put things in order here and spend the rest of the evening together,” Lexa's smile widens.

Butler intercepts Clarke's hand on her cheek and brings it to lips, kissing it gently. She looks at the blonde with all the warmth and adoration. Everything in soul becomes so light and warm.

And the brunette feels relief when she and Clarke take the wreckage to the dump, and even more relief feels when all the wreckage remains in the «graveyard» in the reflection of the rearview mirror ...

There is one more step left to healing from a painful past, to a happy future ...


	14. With Sunrise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The story follows a cheerful female artist named Clarke Griffin. Clarke is studying at the Otis College of Art in Los Angeles with her best friend Octavia, who soon introduces the blonde to her boyfriend's sister, Alexandria Butler. A biker woman whose heart is extremely difficult to get to. Or almost impossible ...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A translation of С рассветом by KristinaKreisi  
> This fanfic was translated from Russia into English with permission of author  
> Author name: KristinaKreisi  
> Her work on website: https://ficbook.net/readfic/4009739
> 
> Sorry English is not my language, with beta the problem they do not have much time, I really try, I hope you like it, thank you anyway

Another morning at the Butlers' house.

Clarke takes a shower and goes downstairs to breakfast with Luna and Bell. Everything looks so warm and family-like. Radio songs and morning programs are heard throughout the house; the smell of coffee and freshly baked pancakes is in the air; and the bursting laugh of a blonde, watching a couple in love awaiting the birth of their first child, and how sweetly they argue, choosing a name for their child.

Everything falls into place ...

\- "Sun, what time do you finish today?" asks the brunette, entering the kitchen and kissing Clarke on the top of the head. Goes to the table and pours herself a cup of coffee.

\- "I wanted to go to additional classes today," the blonde replies thoughtfully, rolling a pancake into a tube. She takes a bite, then smiles slyly, looking up at Butler. - "But if you have more interesting ideas, I will gladly cancel my plans," winks and spreads into a wide smile, chewing pancake.

\- "There's," the brunette smiles in response, sipping a sip and going up to the blonde. Clarke smiles wider, and then receives a light kiss on the lips.

\- “Um,” was heard somewhere from the side, and Lexa rolled eyes, reluctantly moving away from the blonde and sitting down in a nearby chair. - "And who is taking me for an ultrasound today?" Luna raises an eyebrow, crossing arms over chest and with greatness looking at Lexa, then at Bell, who peacefully drinking coffee and reading a news feed on the Internet.

\- “Bell,” Lexa appeals, holding the cup to lips and smiling. -"Take Barry. Ray anyway spends all day in the garage,” Butler shrugs as she gets up from chair. Leaving coffee cup on the table, she walks over to Clarke. 

\- “Link will drove you to campus, okay?" the brunette looks down into blue eyes, gently stroking the blonde on the cheek.

\- "Why not you?" Griffin asks, sighing and looking into the opposite eyes.

\- "I need to go somewhere. I'll pick you up at four, okay?" in response, she receives a nod and immediately smiles, leaning closer to the blonde and giving her a gentle kiss.

\- “Lex, don’t forget to take Jack to Mrs. Arffin’s. She has to examine him," reminds Luna, so that Lexa does not forget to take the dog to the doctor for examination, putting pancakes in her plate.

\- "I remember," already leaving the kitchen, the brunette answers,  
heading to the garage.

*****

\- “But Mr. Lynch, this is the school curriculum,” one of Clarke's classmates draws hysterically from the upper tiers of the audience, when the professor asked him to write a short essay about what a holy abode for them or a place where they would like to create and find their harmony. In general, yes, a school essay, in the style of «How I spent my summer.«

\- “Then, Mr. Pierce, it shouldn't be too difficult for you,” the gray-haired man grins maliciously, completely satisfied with the disgruntled groans of his students. - "Moreover, I will read your essay first. And I am sure that it will even be honored to be read out to your other brethren as an example. I am sure you will not fail," the professor never ceases to mock his students. Clarke smiles. She always liked the way Mr. Lynch liked to answer with barbs to his students and sometimes sneers at them.

In her mind, Clarke automatically began to think about what she could write. And yes, this girl clearly has ideas, and she will definitely tell a sheet of paper about them ...

\- "I love this guy," Chris draws out admiringly, leaving the office and trudging into the dining room. She comes up to Marie and, as usual, twines her hand with hers.

\- "Amazing man," picks up O, on the move, writing something down on a piece of paper, obviously making notes for ideas about what she can write. - "They say that he did not have a single student who would have failed his subject."

\- "God, there are still two and a half years until the end of studies, and you are already thinking ahead. Well, how much can you?" Clarke rolls eyes, trailing behind her friends.

\- "It's never too late to plan everything. For example now," Chris turns to face the girls behind, walking backwards, - "who will go to the lecture on English literature? But if you light up at her boring lecture, then I bet, she will remember it in the exam, and then you have more chances to pass,” the girl waves her hand, turning forward again, continuing to walk next to the blonde.

\- “Clarke has a better chance of passing,” Marie grins as she opens the dining room door.

\- “Maybe,” Griffin shrugs, following the girls into the dining room.

\- "Maybe?" Chris asks, turning head back.

\- "Mg. Today I miss the lecture," the blonde is already grinning slyly, taking the tray from the counter.

\- "Parallel universe, or what?" squints O, looking around, and then looks suspiciously at Clarke. The blonde smiles wryly, making a grimace, and then shows her middle finger in front of O ctavia's eyes. - “You don’t even have to make excuses, I know who's responsible for this,” Blake grins slyly, putting a packet of juice on the tray.

\- “Yes, we all know,” Marie waves her hand, grinning under her breath, and reaches out for the chicken wings.

\- "Maybe enough already?" Clarke rolls eyes, taking tea and a fresh bun to herself. - “The fucking Cupids,” she chuckles and heads to an empty table.

\- "And I feel like a damn cupid," puts her hand to chest O, covering eyes and raising chin, making herself a saint. - "If not for me, then ... oh," waves hand, shaking head. - "I don't even want to think. You would still be lonely and boring, and ..."

\- “That's enough,” Griffin pushes her friend in the shoulder, and then rests cheek on hand and starts sipping a hot drink. - "I'm even afraid to imagine how my life would have turned out if I hadn't gone with you that evening ..."

*****

Smoke billows from the wheels of the pickup truck. The brakes creak and the car stops in front of a small mansion. The brunette allows herself a minute to look at the long-forgotten white house of the Johnsons, remembering how much is connected with it, and then, taking a deep breath, opens the door and gets out of the car.

The brunette swallows and, folding hands on belt, begins to look around the house. She bites lip and covers eyes. There is nothing harder than standing on the threshold of Her house again ...

\- "Why did you want to talk?" asks Lexe directly as soon as Nia left the house.

Johnson glances at the brunette from the doorway, shoving hands into the back pockets of jeans. Sighs, and then leaves the house, closing the door behind.

\- “I want to talk about the pictures,” the brown-haired woman began, going down and coming closer to Butler. - "I want to inspect the wreckage with my own eyes ..."

\- “No,” Lexa cuts off immediately, waving hand and turning towards the pickup, about to start the car and drive away. The last thing she wants is to discuss the accident with Nia.

\- "I have a right to it, Lexa! I want to see these damn wreckage, I want ..." the brown-haired woman boils literally right away, stepping on Lexa with every word.

\- "I don't have it!" Butler growled in response, sharply turning to face the girl. - "I got rid of them ..." the brunette continues more calmly, keeping calm and dispassion. Everything was done right.

\- "You did what!" after a moment of numbness, Nia sings through teeth, squinting into the opposite eyes.

\- “I got rid of them, okay?" the brunette repeats her answer, steadfastly keeping the look of the brown opposite.

\- "Why did you do that?" Johnson hisses, closing eyes and rubbing the bridge of nose, clearly feeling that a little more and she will lose her temper. - "Do you at least understand that you destroyed the only piece of evidence ..."

\- "Will it really be easier for you when you put one of yours to jail? A member of your family?!" Butler growls softly, waving hand and gazing into the opposite eyes. - "Tell me, will it make you feel better? I don't want this to happen, and I'm not sure if Cos wants it. This is not an option, and we both know it." Lexa continues to bend her, watching as the understanding in Nia's eyes obscures anger.

\- “You can't just leave it,” Nia waves hand.

\- "I know. And I won't just leave it like that. I personally want to see the eyes of this rat ..." the brunette answers more calmly, running hand through hair.

\- “I can't believe that one of mine did it ...” Nia shakes head, looking down.

\- “I was the target. I don't know to whom I could cross the road, because you know that your family was as dear to me as my own. I have always appreciated you. And I would never hurt you," the brunette says sincerely, catching the look opposite.

\- “I know,” Johnson replies simply, maintaining eye contact with the brunette.

\- “Let me know if you find out anything. We'll figure this out." Lexa puts her hand on the brown-haired woman's shoulder, squeezing it reassuringly. Nia only smiles faintly as she hangs head down.

The girls have to find out the truth that will hurt both sides. Will definitely hurt...

*****

The day is approaching to evening. The girls, as usual, spend the rest of their time together, lying on the trunk of a pickup truck and looking at the sky. Looking at the crowns of trees through which the rays of the evening sun hardly penetrate. Girls sometimes like to leave the city, stopping on some old highway, along which one or two cars can pass a day. The wilderness provides space to rest and think. To be alone with each other ...

\- "What have you been writing there for a full hour?" Lexa grins, lying on the lap of the blonde and just listening to how she cute mutters something under her breath and looks intently at a sheet of paper.

\- "I have to write something like an essay," the blonde sighs in response. Noisily sucks in air and throws the leaf aside. She throws head back, leaning against the cab of the car, and closes eyes, enjoying the cool breeze walking through the trees.

\- "Just like at school?" Laughs Butler, rolling onto side, catching the blue eyes.

\- "Shut up, yeah!" the blonde mutters, and then stretches out in a smile, looking at the laughing Lexa.

\- "And what is the topic?" Butler continues to wonder, reaching for Clarke's arm, twisting their arms together.

\- "About where you belong in the world. You know, something like a home. Where you feel good and comfortable. Warm ...” Clarke shrugs, looking thoughtfully at the other side of the road. She looks at the forest opposite with interest.

Lexa looks at the blonde a little more seriously. She lowers her gaze, looking at their intertwined arms, and then asks:

\- "And where do you belong?"

Clarke shrugs and then looks at the brunette, looking down into her green eyes.

\- “I don’t know,” the blonde answers honestly. - "I mean, what does it mean to have your own home? Isn't home where you feel good? My house is in New York, but I never felt cozy and comfortable there, you know?" the brunette nods, stroking Clarke's palm with her thumb.

\- "You haven't found your home?"

\- “I feel like my home is next to you, Lexa,” Clarke says after a moment's silence. With free hand, she reaches for the brunette's hair, gently stroking it and passing it through fingers.

Lexa smiles broadly, and then stands up on her elbow and reaches for the blonde's face, wanting to pull her in for a kiss. Covers her lips with her own. Kisses again and again, feeling a return smile on the blonde's lips.

\- "I want to be your home," the brunette laughs, stroking the blonde on the face and looking at the beckoning lips opposite. She gives a weightless kiss again and pulls away, sitting down next to the blonde and throwing head against the cockpit to see the blue eyes clearer. - "Do you feel free now?"

\- “Partly,” Clarke says honestly. She feels free with Lexa, but something else ... Studying, responsibilities to parents ... all this fetters. Doesn't give more, but a blonde needs freedom. She has been dreaming about it for so long. Travel is what sometimes her dreams are about, when not about a green-eyed brunette ...

\- "Tell me, what do you want?" Lexa wants Clarke to feel free the most. She looks into the smiling eyes opposite, and she desperately wants her to be happy always. And if Lexa can do it, then, perhaps, she will do everything to make it so.

\- “It sounds silly, probably, and typical, but I really want to go on a trip,” Griffin smiles, lowering gaze to the woven hands. She smiles to herself, and then looks somewhere to the side.

\- “Actually, there’s nothing stupid about that,” Lexa replies seriously, moving closer to the blonde. Reaches hand to her face and, moveing fingers over the delicate skin, puts the strand that has fallen out behind Clarke's ear. - "I always wanted this," the brunette is already smiling, intercepting the questioning look of blue eyes. - “But I've always had responsibilities to my family. I couldn't afford it ..."

\- "And now?" Clarke asks quietly, intercepting the palm of her beloved, and pulls it to lips. Kisses, and then continues to look into beloved eyes without interruption.

\- "And now, I think I can and I want to. I really want to go with you to the end of the world ..." the brunette smiles, leaning closer to the blonde and gently kissing her temple.

\- “Sounds romantic,” Clarke smiles, closing eyes and enjoying Butler's light kisses on herself.

\- “But not now,” Lexa breaks immediately, catching a frown from Griffin.

\- "What, Why? I was ready to pack my bags," Clarke jokes, not holding back a smile.

\- "You know why. You are studying. Your vacation is not enough to rest, but as soon as you finish your studies, we will definitely leave with you. Far away and for a long time," the brunette promises, hugging Clarke by the shoulders and wrapping in her arms.

\- “This is cruel,” Griffin mutters, fiddling with wristwatch.

\- "I agree," the brunette grins, - "but we have everything ahead. Let's not guess, okay?" looks into the blonde's eyes. Clarke stares into the green eyes opposite, and then smiles faintly. - “In the meantime, I want you to moved to me…” Lexe said after a moment's silence. The voice is noticeably hoarse. The brunette looks down somewhere, expecting an answer from Clarke.

\- "What?" Griffin asks, fidgeting in place and making herself comfortable to see the brunette's face.

\- “I want to see you more often, Clarke. Because of your studies, we rarely see each other, and I want to wake up and fall asleep with you. And…" Lexa sighs, looking up and looking at the empty track.

\- "And it's all?" Clarke raises an eyebrow, struggling to suppress a smile torn from lips.

\- “And just because I love you,” the brunette throws up her hand, saying it as if she’s repeating the obvious thing for the hundredth time, but Clarke doesn’t understand it.

\- "I remember that you forbade me to settle in your house," Clarke repeats the words of the brunette with a screw-hole, still trying to keep a calm expression on face. But in fact, a happy smile is eager to appear on face.

\- “Stop it, it was God knows when,” Butler rolls eyes. - “Damn, just tell me ...

\- "Are you serious now?" Clarke squints, intercepting the uncomprehending gaze of the brunette. - “I wanted to be a part of your life from the very beginning and I still want to,” the blonde smiles at all thirty-two.

\- "So is it yes?" Lexa raises an eyebrow, still hesitating. And doubts are immediately dispelled when warm lips cover her own.

\- "Yes," Griffin whispers with a smile, again covering lips against her own, giving a gentle and hopeful kiss ...

*****

Having reached the dorm building, the girls did not break away from each other. Lexa made fun of the blonde about the fact that she was funny sitting behind the wheel.

In the meantime, Lexa sometimes let Clarke drive the car on the way back. And, of course, Lexa kept her steel grip on the armrests all the time, being careful every time that Clarke would do something wrong, but it really wasn't that bad. On the contrary, Clarke is a very good car driver. Unfortunately, in New York, the blonde did not need a car, and in LA from the dorm to the campus it was only ten minutes to go. Clarke has little experience, but despite this, she deftly handles a huge pickup truck.

Having agreed that next week they will transport things, and after cooing a little more, the girls said goodbye.

\- “I love you,” Clarke kisses the brunette on the lips, and then they pull away, the blonde going to the back door of the pickup truck and taking their backpack from the seat.

\- "And I you," Butler answers with a warm smile, looking after the leaving blonde.

*****

Late evening. Johnson House.

\- "Nia, baby, are you here?" the voice of the guy is heard from the threshold of the house. The brown-haired woman, leaning her hips on the chest of drawers, continues to hold photographs in her hands for an hour. - "Hey, are you okay?" Alec asks, coming closer to the girl. Becomes opposite, carefully examining her, and after pictures in her hands. - "What is it?" without waiting for an answer, he asks, gently touching the girl's wrist with hand.

\- “I'm not sure I want to talk about this,” the girl replies, removing her hand from the blond's. Puts the photos on the table and walks around the guy to the couch.

Sighs and sits down on the sofa. Wearily rubbing eyes.

\- "Is something bothering you? Tell me, I'm worried," Alec does not calm down, squatting in front of the girl.

\- "I need to talk to Lexa,” the brown-haired woman replies. What happened literally half an hour ago haunts Nia. And the worst thing for her is to think that Lexa's suspicions are justified ...

\- "With Lexa? What for?" the guy asks. He sincerely worries about the girl and knows what a difficult relationship between her and Lexa. And the fact that Nia is talking to Butler again cannot but worry.

\- “Alec, it's okay. I'll tell you later, but for now ... We just won't talk about it, please," the brown-haired woman smiles faintly, taking the guy's hands in hers and stroking them with a consoling gesture. He briefly nods in response and simply stretches his lips to the lips of the girl, giving a short kiss.

\- "Good. How about a trip to the beach?" the blonde smiles wider, bringing the girl's hands to his lips and kissing them again and again. The girl smiles. The guy helps her to forget for a while. And God only knows what she would have done without him. He is her support ...

\- "A good idea."

\- "I know. And also, tomorrow a gathering," the guy reminds the girl. - "Let's have some fun, huh?" smiles sweetly and gets to her feet, pulling the girl towards himself, wanting to take her away and give her complete rest and relaxation on the evening LA beach ...

*****

The roar of a black motorbike echoes all over the slope. The brunette shuts down the motorbike, stopping near Raven's car.

\- "Is Link not here yet?" Butler asks, getting off the bike. She takes off jacket and puts it on the seat.

Raven shrugs as sips coffee from a glass.

\- “I see.” Lexa takes the keys out of the ignition and steps forward, surveying the area, and immediately notices a familiar company. Nia's company.

Lexa nods to her, and Nia does the same in response, silently saying that she needs to talk.

Lexa turns back when she hears the familiar roar of her pickup engine. A smile involuntarily spreads on her lips when her blonde comes out from the back door.

\- "Hello, sun," goes to meet the blonde, giving a welcome kiss, wrapping her in arms.

\- "Hey, how are you?" the blonde smiles, hugging the brunette around the waist. She slides with free hand through black hair, and then simply puts the loose strand behind the ear.

\- “All is well,” Butler smiles, kissing the blonde on the forehead. - “I need to talk to N-a,” the brunette sighs, glancing back, and then back into the blue eyes opposite.

\- “I'm with you,” Clarke immediately calls out, not letting the brunette even insert a word. Raises an eyebrow, allegedly saying «you can't refuse me?», And the brunette can't ...

\- “Okay,” the brunette sighs and twines Griffin's hand with hers, and then leads her towards Johnson's company.

Nia and her team were at the very end. Where there is practically no one. The guys from her company went in all directions, and there were only four people left by the bikes, three of whom were Nia, Alec and ... Steve.

Coming closer to them, Lexa immediately caught Nia's gaze. She knows something, the brunette realized. And this something will soon emerge not in the best shape.

Nia silently gets off the bike and takes a couple of steps towards Lexa. Nia's friends tensed noticeably, not knowing what to expect. There is not a single emotion on the faces of the girls, except for dispassion. And the guys are already on the alert to intervene in the next showdown at any moment. But ... what was their surprise when Nia held out her hand to the brunette, and Lexa immediately shook it in a friendly gesture.

\- “Lexa, good to see you,” Steve smiles, visibly relaxing that nothing bad has happened. The brunette immediately casts a sidelong glance at the guy, smiling good-naturedly at him, and then again looks into the eyes of the brown-haired woman. And Lexa immediately tensed all over, catching the regret in Nia's eyes. And Lexa, without further ado, understands what Johnson wants to tell her ...

_\- "Hey, Nia, have you seen the keys to the bike?" Steve flies into the living room, hastily searching the room for his keys._

_\- "No. Maybe ... look at the dresser," Nia says, digging in the kitchen._

_The man immediately rushes to the chest of drawers, starting to climb through the lockers, looking for what he needs. And the guy sharply freezes in place. He literally felt his heart beat and sank. Some kind of fear and excitement spread throughout body. Throat became unusually dry; the palms were sweaty and cold; he began to feel a slight shiver._

_His pupils tremble, and he slowly reaches for the photographs in the drawer. He swallows and literally feels the darkness before his eyes. An inexplicable fear envelops the body. He looks at the pictures, turning over one by one. And snippets of memories rush into his head again and again._

_\- "Did you found?" Nia runs into the living room and immediately frowns when the guy abruptly threw the photos back into the drawer. - "Are you okay?" asks the girl, looking around the brown-haired man. He immediately became confused. Runs a hand through hair and immediately closes the drawer._

_\- “I'm… I'm fine,” he tries to put on a crooked smile, but even that barely works. He shakes slightly. - “It's just… um, I have to go. I think I saw them in the hallway" and the guy, looking down, hurried to out of the house._

_Nia still blindly continues to stare at the place where Steve was just standing, trying to digest something, and realizes that she has never seen a guy like this ... unless only on the very night when the accident happened ...  
The girl approaches the chest of drawers and, opening the cabinet, immediately glances at the scattered photographs. And suspicions begin to creep into her mind, completely absorbing her thoughts ..._

\- “Give them to me,” Lexa says calmly, looking intently into Nia's eyes. Clarke continues to stand behind the brunette, holding her hand. She doesn't understand what is happening, but the alleged events start to scare her.

\- “Lexa,” Nia shakes head, swallowing and looking into the empty green eyes opposite.

\- "Give me them here," the brunette repeats again, starting to boil slowly. And the brown-haired woman has no choice but to obey Butler.

Nia reaches into jeans pocket and immediately takes out the pictures, handing them to the brunette. Steve tensed immediately. He literally feels a tremor go through his body. Fear envelops his body again.

Lexa takes the pictures from the hands of the brown-haired woman, and then, releasing Clarke's hand, bypasses Nia, heading directly to Steve. How tense the guy is, you can already feel literally physically. His face shows how tense he is, and how slightly shakes. The wry smile reappears on his face as Lexa moves closer.

Lexa, without further ado, just hands him the photos. She does not say anything, but in her gaze one can read such emptiness that a slight tremor envelops the guy's body. He can feel the tips of his fingers grow cold in front of eyes, and his heart is pounding so hard that he is sure Lexa hears him.

Nia continues to stand with her back to the brunette and the guy, not daring to turn around. She just looks at the asphalt. Clarke glances from Nia to them in confusion. Alec and the others are hesitant to drop a word as they watch it all. They clearly understand that something is about to happen.

Steve swallows and, hastily rubbing with shaking hand at his eyes, takes the pictures from the brunette's hands. Lexa looks down at his hands, which already hold the photographs, and sees them shaking. She sees…

The guy blindly looks at the pictures and feels a lump in throat. Eyes hurt. It takes a lot of effort for him to control everything that happens inside. The lips begin to tremble barely noticeably, and friends see what is happening with the guy. With all this, Lexa does nothing, staring at him. And this is stronger than words ...

\- "Forgive me," finally flies from the guy's lips, and this served as a trigger ...  
After his words, Lexa simply closes her eyes ... After hearing, Nia puts hand to lips, and behind the brunette's back can hear Nia's sobbing.

The guy's eyes fill with tears. A huge whirlwind of feelings is now breaking his heart. Huge flow. Keeping it inside for so long ... It was destroying the guy, and now ... and now everything comes out. Everything comes out.

\- “Forgive me,” the guy whispers again, shaking head from side to side, looking supportively at Lexa. She continues to stand with her eyes closed. - “Please, forgive me,” he repeats again, and Lexa’s emotions are uncontrollable, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Lexa raises her eyebrows to the bridge of nose, trying to block the flow of tears, but it does not work. The brunette barely opens her eyes. Her lips are trembling and she just stares blankly at the guy. Steps back involuntarily, she putting hand to mouth.

\- "Please, forgive me," the guy again begs, taking an uncertain step forward. The brunette steps back, holding her mouth with hand.

\- “Fuck,” the brunette sobs. A quiet howl from the lips of the brunette begins to reach everyone's ears. And Clarke understands everything ...

\- “Please, forgive me,” the guy begs in a trembling voice, wiping eyes, trying last bit to control emotions. His eyes are red. He is shaking. - "I made a mistake. The most terrible mistake in my life ... She loved you so much, Lexa," the guy shakes head, not breaking eye contact with green eyes. - "God, she loved you so much ..." the guy's voice dropped to a hoarse whisper.

\- “God,” Lexa shakes head, covering mouth with a hand and sobbing. She backs away until she rests her back on the cold metal of some car, and then just slides backwards on the door, sitting down at the very wheels and continuing to release emotions out.

Nia continues to stand with her back to Steve. She does not see anything in front of her. Everything literally floated before her eyes. Intense pain pierced her heart. The person dearest to her killed her sister. It was a fatal step for her little sister. He was beside all this time ... All this time ...

\- “Lexa,” Clarke undermined, running up to her beloved. Sits down opposite the brunette, trying to bring her to senses. Make the brunette look into her eyes, and her heart bleeds as she sees the pain that Lexa is in right now. And more than anything, she wants to take it. Do anything to prevent the brunette from experiencing it again ...

\- “I loved her,” Steve shakes his head, rubbing eyes. - "I to loved her…"

\- "What the hell is going on ?!" Alec boils, running up to Nia, and genuine fear and excitement appear on his face when he sees the girl's face. Sees tears. He looks back at Lexa and sees the same thing.

\- "Nia," Steve draws out, making another step towards her, but then freezes when the brown-haired woman sharply turned around and just barely audibly said:

\- “Get out.” Her eyes are empty. She looks at the guy with a devastated look, and the guy does not hold back his emotions, letting tears roll down his cheeks. His face doesn't express anything, but the tears from his eyes speak volumes.

Lexa wipes her eyes and starts to get up. Clarke tries to stop her, fearing that the brunette might do trouble, but Lexa easily pushes her away, heading straight for the brown-haired man.

\- “You’ll live with this forever,” the brunette hisses through clenched teeth, staring steely into the guy’s eyes. Tears are streaming down her cheeks and she struggles to control herself. She knows that neither the law, nor her murder, nor even his battered body will help her to forgive him; accept, or at least be content with a worthwhile punishment. There is no punishment for him. The only one who can punish him is himself. He will punish himself, and there is no worse execution ...  
\- “I will never forgive you for this. Never, do you hear ?!" the brunette pokes a finger into the chest of guy, hissing through teeth. There are tears in the guy's eyes. He steadfastly withstands everything that the brunette tells him. - "Her death is in your hands..." the brunette hissed, and then just turned around and headed straight towards her bike.

She's racing so fast. Her body is shaking, and her feelings are torn out.

\- “Lexa,” Clarke calls her, trying to stop the brunette, but she doesn't even listen. - "Lexa!"

Lexa quickly throws the jacket over herself and immediately starts the bike.

\- "Lexa, what happened?" Ray caught herself as she jumped off the hood of the car.

\- "Lexa, where are you going?" Link intervenes, glancing warily at the brunette and Clarke.

Butler does not listen to anyone and, having started the bike. The bike jerked so that clouds of smoke flew up in the air, filling everything.

\- "Damn it!" Clarke shouts, putting a hand to her lips. She looks after the leaving brunette. The blonde was seized by fear and anxiety for her beloved, and she understands that now she should be next to her ...

\- "Clarke, follow her," Ray nudges the blonde in the shoulder. The girl does not know what happened, but one thing is clear, that Lexa cannot be left alone, and now the only one she needs is Clarke.

And Griffin immediately move, taking the keys from Link's hands along the way, jumping into the cab of the pickup. Minute, second, and the engine starts. Another moment, and the car move...

Clarke stops at the side of the road, watching from afar as the brunette's bike comes to a stop at the dock. She understands that the brunette needs to be given time to be alone, but at the same time not leave her at all. She just gets out of the car and slams the door and sits on the hood. The only thing she can and does is observe and protect the brunette from a distance. So it should be ...

A long-forgotten feeling again pierces the heart of the brunette. She walks to the edge of the dock and starts walking back and forth. Her hands do not find a place for themselves.

She wipes away her tears; folds hands on the belt; bites lips in blood, trying to calm down the outbreak of a hurricane of feelings. And then she turns her gaze into the distance, looking at the Pacific Ocean. Her tear-stained green eyes reflect the red hues of the sunset. She watches the sun go down. And she realizes that tomorrow ... with dawn that very new day will begin when the past will leave her forever. When all the ends of the past converge into one, giving rise to the future. But now, now the only thing she needs is to let go ... And she lets go ...

The brunette cannot stand emotions and just falls to her knees, letting herself literally howl. A hoarse howl escapes her lips. Tears are streaming down her cheeks, and she just hugs shoulders, squeezing the skin under her fingers tighter. She wants all this pain to go away ... She needs time ...

Clarke continues to watch the brunette from afar with a pain in her heart. She so wants to hug the brunette now; take all her pain and say that everything will be fine. That they can cope, but realizes that she needs time ... a little more. And Clarke just continues to sit in silence on the hood of the pickup, watching the fiery sunset ...

How much the brunette spent in such a state, time was lost. The sun had set long ago, and Butler, simply taking her feet off the dock, began to stare blindly at the quiet waves of the ocean.

She knows that Clarke is nearby and sincerely grateful to her for letting her pour feelings out. Gave her to be alone with herself. And now she is ready to let the blonde close to her again. And Clarke, as if sensing it, heads towards the brunette.

Clarke doesn’t say anything to Lexa, but just sits down next to her, twining her hand with hers and resting head on her shoulder. She only listens to the brunette's even breathing.

In this position, they spend some more time.

\- "Will this dawn be the beginning?" Clarke asks quietly, still staring at the dark ocean.

The brunette blinks, and then turns head to the blonde. Looks into her beloved blue eyes. She looks, and then leans a little closer and gives a light kiss on the lips.

Clarke closes eyes as the brunette's warm lips touch her forehead.

\- "A start will be made. I believe in it," Lexa whispers quietly in the forehead of the blonde, and then slightly pulls away, with a smile looking into the eyes opposite: - "With dawn ..."


	15. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The story follows a cheerful female artist named Clarke Griffin. Clarke is studying at the Otis College of Art in Los Angeles with her best friend Octavia, who soon introduces the blonde to her boyfriend's sister, Alexandria Butler. A biker woman whose heart is extremely difficult to get to. Or almost impossible ...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A translation of С рассветом by KristinaKreisi  
> This fanfic was translated from Russia into English with permission of author  
> Author name: KristinaKreisi  
> Her work on website: https://ficbook.net/readfic/4009739
> 
> Sorry English is not my language, with beta the problem they do not have much time, I really try, I hope you like it, thank you anyway

Three years later ...

During this time, a lot has happened in the lives of the girls. The family has become whole; peace; strong confidence in the future, and ... an heir. The son of Luna and Bell is turning three years old and his name is August. This child has become the brightest part of this family. New light. New life.

After briefly running through the Johnson family ... Nia and her husband Alec live, in fact, as before. The family is thriving. Steve was banished. Nobody knows where he is, what's wrong with him, how he is. It no longer exists for any of the families.

Lexa and Nia, after a common grief, did not become super friends, and they communicate and see each other quite rarely, but the fact that their relationship has become warm is unambiguous. Still, something, but the girls have a common past, which, whether they like it or not, will bind them for life. And they don't mind ...

The family got bigger. Clarke and Lexa still live in the Butler home as planned three years ago. Luna and Bell also, but Lincoln and Octavia decided to leave their own mansion and find their own roof over their heads. Your corner. However, everything else has become unchanged ...

Today is Clarke's and Octavia's final day of school. Today the girls will leave the college doors for the last time and never return. The girls have successfully passed all the exams, and all that remains is to receive a diploma from the Otisov College of Art, and then the whole world and all roads will open before them.

\- “Now you are a free bird,” the brunette smiles, walking up to Clarke, holding a piece of paper officially confirming her «freedom».

\- “I can't even believe it.” Clarke doesn't hold back the sincere smile and joy that rushes out. It's all over.

Lexa smiles again, pulling her towards herself and kissing her forehead. Clarke closes eyes, and then plunges into Butler's gentle embrace. She puts head on brunette's shoulder and smiles contentedly.

\- “Your parents are here,” Lexa casually warns the blonde, stroking her hair and looking towards the crowd at how happy they are at the end of their studies.

\- “Well, now, the brainwashing will begin,” Clarke draws out, frowning and only wrapping herself harder in the warm embrace of the brunette. Lexa's chest shudders with soft laughter. - "«And where do you plan to go to work?», «I have connections, I can promote you as a manager in an art gallery, or arrange for a designer in some popular company,»" Clarke grimaces mother's words, putting her words in quotation marks. - “God,” the blonde sighs, rolling eyes to the sky.

\- "Baby, come on," Butler consoles the blonde, - "be patient a little, and they will go back to New York, and then do what you want" kisses the top of the head and, pulling away, looks into blue eyes.

\- “Sounds comforting,” Griffin mutters, catching the silhouettes of her parents in the crowd.

\- “This is how it will be,” Lexa shrugs, kissing the blonde on the temple and pressing her closer to herself.

*****

In the evening of the same day ...

The Butlers' house is buzzing with a party honoring college graduates. Clarke's parents, fortunately ... or not, flew to New York immediately after the ceremony, referring to the fact that important meetings await them. Clarke was not offended, on the contrary, she was glad. She loves her parents, but at a distance. No unnecessary pressure.

The party had to be moved to the street only because little August has been snoring sweetly for a long time, seeing unicorns galloping across the chocolate field.

Anya again went to Tokyo for four months to live with parents. Jack, like August, snores sweetly on the porch. The dog is clearly exhausted all day, running with Jasper and Monty around the world. Ray and the others are chatting and laughing, remembering some moments from the past. Remembering the first days of the meeting. It was funny.

Lexa and Clarke are not special drinkers, lately, so the girls just separated a little from their friends, retiring on a bench near the porch of the house, comfortably settling under the windows of the mansion.

Sitting next to the brunette, Clarke lay down on a bench, resting her head on the brunette's lap, while chewing a pack of M&Ms and smiling all over tonight.

\- “I have something for you,” Lexa began, stroking the blond strands and looking thoughtfully at them.  
Clarke immediately stopped chewing, immediately spreading into a smile even wider (if it was possible, of course), and immediately jumped up, gifting Butler with a dumb question.

\- “Hell, just don’t be quiet,” Clarke whines, watching Lexa smile slyly, completely inactive. The brunette just looks and enjoys how Clarke's ass literally starts to burn out of curiosity, which cannot but amuse.

Lexa, for a moment more allowing herself to enjoy the blonde's «torment», nevertheless, sighing, bends a little to the side, taking an envelope out of her back pocket of jeans.

Clarke holds it out, and she casts her gaze in amazement first at envelope, then at the smiling brunette and does not understand anything even more than twenty seconds ago before.

\- "What is it?" Griffin asks with a schur, trying to pull at least something out of the brunette, mentally realizing that she will not succeed.

\- “Open it,” Lexa shrugs, ostensibly saying «I won’t tell you anyway, don’t even try.» And Clarke no longer tries, and yet begins to open the envelope with a sly smile. Pulling out the folded thick paper from there, it gets even more tangled. She casts a fleeting, uncomprehending glance at the brunette, and then again on the paper and ... freezes.

\- "What is it?" Clarke asks again, as if she is stuck with this question, but she understands what it is, and still does not understand. - "Map?" bringing her thoughts together, the blonde again tries to ask a sensible question, but again does not come out, and she asks the obvious. To which Lexa smiles only wider.

\- “This is my gift to you,” Butler simply replies and, catching the misunderstanding in Clarke’s eyes, continues. - “I promised you that after you graduate, we’ll leave…” Lexa continues to smile warmly, taking the map and opening it so both girls can see it. - "You can choose any place. Whatever you want. We'll go anywhere. Anywhere in the world."

Clarke, mouth open with admiration and shock, looks at the brunette and cannot believe her ears. Clarke definitely thought Lexa had long since forgotten about what had three years ago. And she certainly did not hope that she would even decide to take her away. Lexa has been very busy lately, and Clarke was sure that the brunette simply didn’t have the strength or time to arrange a six-month or one-year «vacation» around the world.

\- “Oh, my God,” Clarke could only say, still in mute shock, looking at the map, now at the smiling brunette. Clarke was clearly expecting anything from Lexa, but that… certainly not. - "Do you really remember that?" asks Griffin, sincerely surprised at such a gift from Lexa. She looks at the brunette with such feeling and affection from who Lexa is with her. And once again making sure that the brunette loves her. Still in love. And, probably, every time it gets stronger and stronger ...

\- "Too good, sun," reaches out with hand to the blonde's cheek and begins to stroke. Clarke keeps smiling. The blonde is bursting with feelings. Want to fly off from the fact that freedom completely envelops her in its warm embrace. Indeed her dream will come true?

\- "Really?" Clarke raises an eyebrow playfully, sitting comfortably next to the brunette, tucking leg under herself.

\- “Mh,” Butler nods, - “and I clearly remember the very day I first saw you,” Lexa starts laughing at her thoughts and memories. - "I remember that immediately thought: she is some kind of abnormal. Why is she staring at me all the time?" the brunette continues to laugh, and in response to which she receives a light blow on the shoulder. Clarke rolls eyes, still smiling. - “And I also remember that very evening,” the brunette puts finger to lip, stroking it thoughtfully and looking at the starry sky.

\- “On the lake…” Clarke suggests, looking at girlfriend with curiosity and interest.

\- "Yes. There," confirms Lexa, with a kind of adoration looking into the blue eyes opposite. - "It seems to me that something went wrong there. And your confession," Lexa cleared her throat, - "or rather Octavia's confession that you are a dark horse, gave me some ..." the brunette laughed, shrugging her shoulders, - "a bell. 

You have become everything to me so imperceptibly," Butler smiles warmly, intertwining fingers with Clarke's. - "You just turned everything upside down, you know? You fell like snow on my head," Griffin smiles wider, stroking the brunette's wrist with thumb and listening with pleasure to her interpretation of a story three years ago.

\- “It wasn't any easier for me, by the way,” Clarke defends, still smiling. - "It was so difficult with you. You can't even imagine."

\- "And yet I am immensely happy that no matter what, you endured me. That you didn't push me away and didn't leave," the brunette says a little more seriously.

\- “Still endure,” Clarke notes jokingly, raising index finger and jumping eyebrows. The brunette rolls eyes, smiling.

\- "Because you love."

\- “Because I love,” Clarke confirms, pulling the brunette's hand to lips, kissing tenderly ...

*****

One week later…

The suitcases are folded. The car is filled. Turned on. An approximate route has been laid. It remains only to say goodbye to the rest, giving a guarantee that upon arrival at different points they will certainly call.

The sun is blazing on the street. While Clarke is talking with Luna about all sorts of trifles, Lexa, meanwhile, says goodbye to her tribe:

\- "Will you miss me?" The brunette asks in a warm voice, holding the baby in her arms. Baby, in response, pouting lips, looks down, looking at his hands and how they pull on the black hair of the brunette. - "Mmm?" Holds out Lexa again, nuzzling the boy's cheek. And he smiles shyly.

\- "Yes," the baby squeaked in a childish voice, immediately throwing himself on the brunette's neck and hugging her as much as possible for a child.

And Lexa is immensely happy about that. She loves the baby very much, and parting with him is the most difficult for her. Even Jack whines back. He will miss her too.

Meanwhile, Luna and Clarke, standing by the car, watch with affection the brunette and the baby.

\- “I always wondered how much these two love each other,” Luna smiles, looking at them. - “Lexa loves children very much,” the girl continues, already turning to face Clarke.

\- “I know.” Clarke shrugs, not taking eyes off the brunette and boy. - “And I…” Griffin hesitated for a moment, looking at them, and then turned her gaze to Luna. - "And I just do not dare to talk to her about it ..."

\- "Do you want a family?" Luna raises eyebrows, inside already exulting with all her soul.

\- "Yes! I mean ... I don’t know," Griffin shrugs, casting a quick glance at Lexa, and then back at Luna, - "I feel like I want something more. Do you understand? I know I'm ready for the next step, just ... I'm not sure if Lexa wants the same and ..."

\- "No «and» Clarke?" exclaims a friend, already turning whole body towards the blonde. - “You know nothing is more important to Lexa than family. Believe me, she is much more ready for this than you or I, or God knows who else," the blonde-haired woman waves her hand back and forth, proving her rightwards.

\- “I’ll talk to Her,” Clarke answers firmly to her thoughts, mentally setting herself up for a future conversation. Luna's words gave the blonde confidence. And now she's getting a little bolder.

An hour later. The girls said goodbye to everyone. Octavia still could not hold her tears where necessary and managed to cry. Like little August in principle. The rest were still able to keep themselves under control. The farewell turned out to be difficult, as if they were leaving forever, and there was no Skype and no mobile communication at all.

\- “Baby,” Clarke began, sitting comfortably in the car seat, bending legs under herself and turning body toward Lexa. Lexa just mumbled, raising an eyebrow and with a smile turning head in the direction of Clarke, sideways glancing over the road. - “I want more,” Clarke continues incomprehensibly, which makes Lexa even more confused.

\- "In what sense?" still asks Butler, looking at the blonde in confusion.

\- "Responsibilities. Do you understand? Some kind of impetus for us ..."

\- "Family?" Butler immediately interrupts the blonde. And only now, Clarke's heart began to beat twice as fast, realizing that now either everything would bloom or break. And Griffin just nods. Lexa looks at Clarke for a second, then breaks into a smile. - “I want it too, Clarke."

\- "Yes?" still asks Griffin, deciding to dispel all doubts to the brink and make sure that she did not hear.

\- “Yes,” Butler smiles and reaches for Clarke's hand, squeezing her palm. - “But don't you think it's worth talking about this after our trip, mmm?" Lexa winks at the blonde as she continues to stroke wrist in a comforting gesture. Clarke relaxes noticeably.

\- “I agree.” Clarke’s smile widens and she leans back in the seat more comfortably. - "Hmm, so by the way, sooner or later you will at least let me sit on Mike?"

\- "No."

\- "Damn, well, just sit ..."

\- “I'll think about it,” the brunette shrugs, continuing to drive the pickup. - "And if you behave well, maybe I'll take you for a ride," Clarke immediately lit up like a light bulb and immediately went out when Lexa continued, - "around the block ..."

The girls chatted for a long time until it was time to rest a little, and the girls stopped on a huge slope, from the height of which one could observe the lights of Los Angeles like glowing grains of sand. The city is so far away that it is barely visible. The girls stand on the edge of their beloved pickup truck and watch the sun rise. For a moment Lexa falls back ... into the deep past ...

_\- "Just look at this girl. How did she get here at all?" Crossing arms over chest and raising an eyebrow, Lex's looks at brown-haired woman._

_The roar of motors is heard all around. There are only bikers around, and only a fragile female figure in light shorts and a T-shirt stands out from the general background of black leather jackets and chrome-plated metal._

_\- “She’s looking at you,” Link notes, smiling slyly and looking at the brunette. She sullenly looks at Lexa, who is devouring her, and nevertheless decides to go on the attack first._

_Lexa makes an imperturbable face, getting ready to kick the girl off at any moment, or at least scoff. And she did it for the first time ... A couple of weeks, and after that something goes wrong, and the heart begins to open. But she will find out this a little later, but for now the first thing she has to hear:_

_\- "Hi, my name is Costia," the girl shyly smiles, glancing sideways at her sister's sidelong glance, and her thin (musical) fingers are drawn to sink into the warm palm opposite._

_The brunette does not extend her hand in response, showing her disinterest in further contact, but says:_

_\- "Lexa ..." and immediately turns around, heading for the bikes, not yet suspecting that this was their first meeting, but far from the last. And this girl will still conquer her heart, firmly settling in it forever ..._

\- “It's incredible here,” the blonde smiles broadly and hugs the brunette around the waist, putting head on her shoulder and allowing herself to be hugged back.

\- “This is just the beginning,” Lexa says quietly. Leans a little closer to the blonde, kissing gently on the lips.

\- "Maybe we should take a break?" Clarke purrs against the lips, pressing closer to the brunette. Lexa doesn't hold back a smile.

\- "Do you want to spend all night here?"

\- “Yes,” Clarke kisses on the lips, clearly demanding more and saying they’re not going anywhere today.

\- "We'll go with dawn ..."

\- "Yes, with dawn," Clarke answers, again pulling the brunette for the desired kiss ...


	16. After years

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The story follows a cheerful female artist named Clarke Griffin. Clarke is studying at the Otis College of Art in Los Angeles with her best friend Octavia, who soon introduces the blonde to her boyfriend's sister, Alexandria Butler. A biker woman whose heart is extremely difficult to get to. Or almost impossible ...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A translation of С рассветом by KristinaKreisi  
> This fanfic was translated from Russia into English with permission of author  
> Author name: KristinaKreisi  
> Her work on website: https://ficbook.net/readfic/4009739
> 
> Sorry English is not my language, with beta the problem they do not have much time, I really try, I hope you like it, thank you anyway

\- "Darling, have you seen my earrings with such a huge brulik, which my mother gave me?" comes a tired voice behind the brunette.

Lexa, leaning on the table, continues to read the newspaper, while blindly stirring vegetables in the pan.

\- "Mmm?" Lexa indistinctly calls out, without taking her eyes off the «very» interesting reading.

Clarke, rubbing the bridge of her nose, sighed heavily, and then, running hand through hair, began to approach the brunette.

\- “My parents will come in an hour, and I would not want to answer my mother’s thousand questions about why I didn’t put on these horrible earrings. You know she'll be offended,” Clarke says, standing behind the brunette and resting head on her shoulder.

\- “I’m only happy to save your skin,” Lexa smiles, tearing gaze from the reading and turning head to the side to catch the silhouette of the blonde, - “but I really have no idea where they are. Have you looked in the nightstand?"

\- "Are you kidding? I looked there first," Clarke grunted irritably, pulling away from the brunette, realizing that she would not help her in any way. - “She’ll kill me,” Griffin said as she walked over to the teapot.

Lexa smiled broadly and tossed the newspaper aside, turned off what looked like ready-made vegetables. She put the spoon on the support and began to approach to Clarke, who was tired from the very morning.

Outside the window, stunning sunny weather. Warm rays of the sun through the windows of the house touch the blond hair of Clarke, making her a real angel. Clarke looks great and pretty damn cute in light gray cape and short shorts.

\- “I'm sure she forgot about them.” The brunette walks up to Clarke, tucking a lock of blond hair behind ear.

Clarke just grunted as she sipped a sip of hot coffee. She looks under forehead at the laughing green eyes opposite and begins to smile herself.

\- "Why are you looking at me like that?" Griffin laughs, still holding the cup to her lips.

\- "It's just that you are the most beautiful in the world," Lexa answers quite simply.  
Clarke smiles even wider, raising one eyebrow as she glances playfully at the brunette opposite.

\- "Really?" puts the cup aside, placing it on the table. Hugs the brunette around the waist, pulling her closer to herself.

\- "Really," Butler smiles in response, and then leans closer and kisses the blonde on the lips. Quite gentle and weightless. Almost innocent.

\- "Mom!" the brunette freezes at Clarke's lips, hearing a familiar voice that does not bode well.

Clarke opens eyes and looks into the green eyes opposite, catching Lexa's thoughts, and then, sighing, leans slightly to the side, trying to make out the source to which the squeak belonged. She looks over the brunette's shoulder and swears that her heart almost stopped in terror.

\- "God! Gwen, what happened?!" Clarke burst out, slipping out of Butler's embrace and taking a couple of steps towards the blonde girl who is holding the pursed boy by the hand. Clarke frowns at the children, crossing arms. - “And god, Ed, throw this thing away. You can't put it in your mouth!" Clarke ran to the boy and took the incomprehensible detail from the boy's hands.

\- "What's this? Bolt?" Lexa gave a voice from behind, taking a couple of steps forward, leveling with the blonde.

\- "I found him in my mother's garage. He climbed into the workshop again!" the girl answers seriously.

Clarke and Lexa look at the girl in front of them, and sometimes it starts to seem to them that the girl is acting more mature than all of them put together. Sometimes it is Gwen who can scold her mothers for some business, and they have nothing to say. Smart beyond her years.

Clarke frowns and then glares at the brunette.

\- "What?" Lexa immediately responds to the mute swearing of Clarke.

\- "I asked you to close the garage. You know how his hands got itchy,” Clarke mutters. - "And if he had done something?"

\- “But haven't done,” the brunette shrugs, looking at the boy, who guiltily looks down at the floor. - "Nearly…"

Everyone stared at Ed, including his older sister, who still holds his hand and frowns. The boy is all smeared with fuel oil, his hair is disheveled, and clothes are all dirty, and most likely they will can't be washed anymore. He looks guiltily under his legs, not daring to let go of his sister's hand.

\- “This is some kind of madhouse,” Clarke sighs, covering face with hand.

\- "Okey, children!" Lexa started giving commands. - "Now you go to the bath. Fetch water, mom and I will come and wash you, okay? Soon grandmother and grandfather will arrive, and if they see you like this, grandmother will have a seizure," Lexa, clapping hands, pointed to the second floor, - "run!"

The kids nodded and ran to the second floor.

\- “I feel like this is just the beginning,” Clarke sighed, plopping down into a chair.

\- “Come on, been worse,” Lexe consoles the blonde, squatting in front of Clarke. She takes her hand and kissed. Every finger, and the smile on Clarke's face starts to shine again. Lexa kisses her hand, and then lips touch the blonde's annulary finger and the ring that settles on it ...

*****

\- “Mom…” the kid asks quietly as Lexa dries his head with a towel. - "Is mommy very angry?" the boy frowned, looking down at his hands and touching fingers.

Lexa couldn't help smiling as she looked at her son. She removes the towel to the side and reaches for the shirt.

\- “Raise your arms,” the brunette says, and the boy silently lifts the arms up, letting his mother put on the shirt. - "Mom is angry, but only because she loves you very, very much," the brunette holds out the shorts to the boy, and he, grabbing the brunette's shoulder for support, began to push his legs into the shorts, helping his mother put them on. - "Now we will dry your hair, and you will go to your mother. Kiss her on the cheek, apologize and tell her how much you love her, okay?"

\- "Yes," the kid nodded, looking guiltily at his hands. Lexa smiles again and kisses the top of the baby's head.

\- “Okay, now let's go fight the evil dragon…” the brunette smiles, getting to her feet.

\- "Mom, it's a hairdryer! I'm not little anymore ..." the boy frowns, folding his arms on chest. 

Lexa raised eyebrows looking in surprise at the «grown-up» son. Until recently, the boy imagined that the hair dryer was an evil dragon. He was very afraid to dry hair, and therefore he and Lexa fought him every time and, having dried hair, considered it a victory, which made the boy insanely happy.

\- "As you say, young man," the brunette laughs, leading the boy by the handle into the bathroom.

*****

\- "Grandma! Granddad!" a child's scream comes from the second floor.

Abby and Marcus did not even have time to close the front door when a little boy began to run towards them, trying to knock them off their feet.

\- “Edward,” Abby smiles broadly, grabbing the boy as he goes and lifting him into arms, hugging tightly. - "My little boy. Did you miss us?" The woman asks, pulling back slightly in order to look into the boy's eyes. He nods many times that head seemed about to fall off. And then he hugs grandmo again, stretching out hands to grandad.

\- “Grandma,” Gweneth smiles broadly, running up to the woman. Abby, lowering the boy to the floor, rushed to hug her granddaughter.

Lexa watches the entire scene from above with a big grin. Begins to go down the stairs.

\- “Mom, you're early,” Clarke walks out of the kitchen, drying hands with a towel.

\- “Not at all, my dear,” Abby replies calmly, opening arms to her granddaughter.

\- "Glad to see you," the brunette intervenes, walking up to Abby.

\- “Oh dear, me too,” Abby replies, hugging Butler. Lexa pulls away from the woman and holds out her hand to Marcus.

\- "I hope you flew well?" Lexa asks, stepping back.

\- “We've been through worse,” Marcus smiles amiably.

\- "Grandpa!" Ed squeaked, drawing Marcus's attention. He, smiling, looks down at the boy, who pulls the arms up. The man lifts the boy into arms so that he can see everything.

\- “Glad to see you,” Clarke smiles, walking up to mother, hugging her.

\- "Me too, baby," the woman answers, hugging daughter. She pulls back a little, and then frowns, looking at the blonde's face. - "Honey, where are those earrings that I gave you last Christmas? ..."

\- “God, I'm so glad my parents are here,” Clarke draws out wearily, flopping onto the bed.

Lexa continued to lie on her side with closed eyes, trying to finally fall asleep.

\- “Mh…” the brunette hums, hugging the pillow tighter.

\- “Now they’ll look after the children and we’ll have more time for each other,” Clarke muses aloud, looking up at the ceiling. - "In a week they will take them to New York ... Maybe we should go somewhere?" Griffin asks, rolling over on side, looking at wife's serene face.

\- "Go?" Lexa asks, opening eyes. Supports head with one hand and continues to stare at Clarke.

\- "Yes. You know, somewhere out of town. Where it is quiet and calm," the blonde smiles, moving closer to Butler. She puts hand on her waist and hugs. - "Just the two of us. Sometimes I just dream about it," the blonde holds out, covering eyes and shaking head. - "Do you remember how good it was for us when we left for the trip. It was just amazing."

\- “I remember,” the brunette smiles back. - "And I also remember how you didn't keep track of the pickup and it drove off into the lake," Lexa jokingly seriously recalls, Clarke just rolls eyes, not holding back a smile.

\- “It's not my fault that you forgot to put it on the handbrake,” the blonde defends in response, moving even closer to Butler and burying nose in her neck.  
Lexa starts laughing softly as she hugs the blonde.

\- "Okay, I'll think about it, okay?" The brunette asks quietly, looking into her beloved blue eyes opposite.

\- "Okey," the blonde smiles in response, and then moves a little closer to the brunette and gently kisses on the lips ...

*****

\- "Good morning," Lexa smiles sleepily, slipping toes on the parquet floor, walking into the kitchen, where Marcus, Abby and the children are already sitting, actively having breakfast and discussing something.

\- “Good, honey,” Abby says, wiping the chocolate paste off Ed’s mouth. - "Honey, you need to eat chocolate, not paint it like an Indian," the woman scolds the baby, continuing to wipe the paste from the boy's cheeks.

\- "Mom, grandma said that today we will go to the zoo, and then to the beach, great, right ?!" Gwen rejoices, tugging on Lexa's pajama leg, looking up at her. - "Will you and mommy come with us?"

\- “Great news, honey,” Lexa smiles warmly, picking up a cup of coffee from the table. - “But mommy and I won't be able to do it today, another time, okay?" leans down and kisses the girl in the blond hair.

\- “Okay,” the girl draws out, pouting her lips.

\- "Okay, O. Today is late afternoon. I still have a meeting in the gallery today, and after that I'm free.” Clarke enters to the kitchen, talking on the phone, already dressed in jeans, a T-shirt and a denim vest, unlike her wife, who flaunts around the house in pajamas. - “Luna and Bell will only be arriving next week. August got sick, so they decided to postpone their departure. In any case, we'll talk in the evening," Griffin continues to chat on the phone, bending down and kissing the children on the top of their heads. She walks over to the brunette and takes a cup of coffee from her hands, sipping it.

\- “Great,” Lexa sighs as she waits for her wife to give the drink back. - Hi to O, and confused brother," the brunette puts on a crooked smile, taking the cup from Clarke's hands.

\- "Link will drop by today, so you don't sulk," the blonde already smiles, putting down the phone and lightly kissing Butler on the lips. - “Mom, Dad, good morning,” Clarke smiles wider, walking up to parents and kissing them on the cheek. - "How did you sleep?"

\- "Good. I slept well, despite the fact that I hardly manage to get enough sleep in new places. It’s very cozy here,” Marcus says graciously, sipping hot tea.

\- "I am very glad," the blonde answers sincerely. - "Baby, where are the keys to Barry?" Clarke is already addressing to her wife.

\- "Why do you need?" Lexa asks as she walks down the hallway. Clarke followed her wife, leaving parents and children to chat and discuss future time.

\- “I gave mine to Raven, I have no idea why she wanted her. You were going to ride Mike today,” Griffin defends, watching the brunette pull the keys to the pickup from leather jacket.

\- “You know I'm still scared of giving you the pickup?” Lexa raises an eyebrow as she hands the keychain to the blonde.

\- "Yes, I know, and I'm incredibly grateful that you still give me," joyfully intercepts the keys from the hands of the brunette Clarke, and then comes closer and gently kisses the brunette on the lips, clasping her face in palms.

\- "Mmm, are you leaving already?" Lexa hums in displeasure as Clarke pulls back to walk around her.

\- "Yes. I need to stop by the gallery. And then I go with O to the beach to draw. I'll be late in the evening," the blonde answers on the go, throwing a bag over her shoulder. - "Mom, dad, kids, bye. See you tonight.” Clarke looks into the kitchen, looking around the family. - “Have a good time,” and after that the blonde, giving her wife another kiss on the lips, waves hand and disappears away behind the front door.

\- "Gorgeous," Lexa sighs, walking back to the kitchen ...

*****

\- "So, let's repeat how to behave in a public place, Edward," squats down in front of Lexa's son, tying the laces on the boy's sneakers.

\- "Listen to grandma and grandad," the boy holds out, looking somewhere to the side, - "do not scare the birds and do not take away toys from other children," the boy mutters under his breath, which causes a warm smile on Lexa's face.

\- "That's right," the brunette touches her son's nose with finger, and after kissing him on the forehead, gets to feet. - "Guenie, my sun, look after your brother, okay?" comes up to daughter and kisses the girl on the top of the head.

\- "Yes, mom," the girl nicely saluted the brunette, which caused an approving a nod.

\- “Who ready to see a giraffe, lift the handle up,” Abby’s perky voice is heard from behind. And after a moment, the children joyfully began to jump in place, raising their arms above their heads. - "Great, because the giraffe is also ready to see little, I hope, good kids."

\- "Until evening," smiles Marcus to Lexa, following his wife and grandchildren to the exit.

\- “Have a good time,” Lexa smiles back as she sees them off.

*****

Evening.

\- “You know, sometimes I just miss the days when we were teenagers, and the only thing we cared about was exams and first love,” O sighs, trudging along the beach next to Clarke.

The girls stop at the rocky shore and begin to lay the bedspread.

\- "I'm only partly. I just reminisce what I have gone through with Lexa, of what already goosebumps,” laughs Griffin, taking a sketchbook and a couple of pencils out of bag.

\- "Oooh, it was ten years ago, and you still remember?" smiles O, taking the bar out of the bag and sitting on the bedspread, folding legs in Turkish style.

\- "Are you kidding? Of course, I remember how you dragged me to meet her brother, thereby turning my whole life upside down,” Clarke chuckles, lying on stomach.

\- “It was all worth what you have now.” Octavia sighs, lying on back, staring at the clear sky. - "I can't even believe that so many years have passed. It seems to me that since then, almost nothing has changed, of course, with the exception of children."

\- “That's for sure,” Clarke smiles, remembering her little angels. - "Speaking of children, where are your bandits?"

\- "I sent them to my mother in Boston."

\- “I’ll send mine with my parents to New York in a week. Want a little rest,” Clarke replies, drawing something straightforward on the album.

\- "My boys want a monkey, imagine! Monkey. I don’t understand at all why hey wanted her. I understand there is a hamster, a fish or, at worst, a cat, but a monkey ..." Blake complains, raising hand. - “I hope they have this temporary desire and shouldn't watch In the Animal Kingdom anymore." Clarke starts to laugh.

\- "Lexa and I are seriously considering getting a dog. Jack has been gone for two years. Gwenie still remembers him and was very worried when he was dying, I am already silent about Lexa. It was even harder for her. And here we thought that it would be worth having a puppy, what do you think?"

\- "I think it's a great idea. And the children will have more fun, and Ed will have a place to throw out his energy," O supports a friend, chewing bar.

\- "I think so too."

\- "By the way, what do you hear about Anya?" translates the topic Blake, continuing to chew and look at the sky.

\- "She called the other day. She's in Toronto now, doing paperwork. They are going to open a branch there. Things are going well,” Clarke smiles, happy for the family business. - "Jasper and Monty hang out with her. The three of them can handle it."

\- "And thank God. Chris and Marie left to Canada. They settled well there and did not seem to want to go back. I recently called them. They in family chores, as, in fact, all of us," sighs O, rolling over on her side. - "Everything has changed so ..."

\- "It's for the best."

\- "You're right…"

*****

The bike's wild roar cut through the tranquil silence of the city cemetery. The brunette, straightening her hair, climbs off the bike. Lexa looks around the area and inhales deeply. She has not been here for so long, and now, being here again, her heart begins to beat like crazy.

The brunette looks up at the sky and takes off sunglasses, starting to squint at the setting sun. She takes uncertain steps forward, following to the place of her past.

Butler stops in front of a headstone engraved with «Costelia Johnson. 1990-2014. Forever with us,» and sighs, smiling weakly.

\- “I'm sorry I haven't visited you for so long, dear,” the brunette begins, squatting in front of the stone. - "Over the years, so much has happened ..." Lexa smiles again, remembering the children, - "sometimes I am so sorry that you are not around. My children would liked you,” the brunette chuckled, showing her ring finger to the stone. - "I have two wonderful kids. Edward and Gweneth. Although sometimes Gwen reminds me of you so much,” the brunette's voice trembled noticeably, and she felt tears coming to her eyes. - “I'm incredibly happy, Cos. I have Clarke and I love her insanely. She's the best I've had since you. I am happy, and I hope you are happy for me.” The brunette sighs, turning her gaze somewhere to the side, wiping her wet nose. Smiles weakly. - "I have what to tell you," Butler smiles, sitting down on the lawn more comfortable ...

*****

Days fly by unnoticed. The week before the children left, the girls devoted all their free time to them.

Ed loves to jump into bed to mums and, sitting in the middle of them, actively tells stories and about how he liked the zoo. And since childhood, Gwen loves sleeping on her mother's back. In this case, Lexa half-asleep listens to the stories of son and feels the pleasant weight of the child's body of daughter, who laid head on Lexa, calmly listening to the stories of brother. Clarke, resting head on hand, listens to son's stories and admires his colorful story.

Their evenings are often held this way, making it a kind of tradition. And when the hand of the clock moves past midnight, and the children are peacefully snoring, the girls carefully carry the little ones to their room.

\- "Today, even without a fairy tale," Lexa rejoices in a whisper, covering the boy with a blanket.

\- “Don't croak,” Clarke mutters in a whisper as moves away from daughter's bed. - "I wonder how mom will put them to bed?" the blonde smiles slyly, leaving the bedroom.

\- “The same as with you,” a sleepy voice is heard from the side, which almost made Clarke squeak in fear.

\- "Mom, God, it's already night! Why are you not sleeping?" Clarke mutters softly, hoping the kids haven't woken up.

\- "Thirst does not sleep, dear," the woman muttered sleepily, going down to the first floor.

\- “Baby, let's go to bed,” Lexa muttered indistinctly, yawning as she walked and dragging wife by the hand into the room.

The girls climbed onto the bed and plopped down on the soft mattress.

\- "Why are you looking at me?" Lexa mumbles into pillow, eyes closed, but acutely aware of the native blue eyes on her.

\- “I told you that you’re insanely sexy in those pajamas,” Clarke purred, moving closer to the brunette, nuzzling to her cheek. Kisses the corner of the lips.

\- "No, you didn't," the brunette smiles, enjoying the kisses of wife.

\- "Then I say. I am insanely turned on by these pants with stars," laughs Clarke, pulling back the elastic of wife's pants and letting it go, which made Lexa open eyes, playfully raising an eyebrow.

\- “Well then, I suppose I have to wear them all the time,” Butler whispers, moving closer to Clarke, leaning whole body over her. Kisses on the neck. - "What do you think?" Sucks on the blonde's earlobe, causing her to giggle.

\- "I think it's a great idea ..."

*****

Another sunny day in Los Angeles. Lexa and the kids decided to visit the local playground, and while Ed plays with other peers in the sandbox, Gwen plays with her friend and, as befits friends, whisper about this and that ...

\- “Is it true that your mom has a big, big bike?” Lexa smiles as she listens to soft childish whispers.

Gweny starts combing the doll's hair and smiles slyly.

\- "Yes. And not one, and she also has a huge car that the whole family can fit in,” the girl says proudly, contentedly watching her friend's jaw drop.

\- "You have a cool mom," states the girl, looking askance at the brunette, on whose arm is an uncomplicated tattoo.

Lexa continues to sit on the bench, with head thrown back and enjoying the warm rays of the sun.

\- "Mom, look what I found," a familiar voice is heard very close, and Lexa, reluctantly opening eyes, draws attention to son and to something incomprehensible in his hand.

Lexa squints, trying to figure out what it is, and then leans over to the boy and throws the pebbles out of his palm.

\- "Very cute baby, but next time do not take nothing in your hands, okay?" the brunette smiles sweetly, brushing off son's palms. - "Let's go to the car and get some wet wipes."

\- “Okay,” Ed grunted, wrapping his hand around Mom’s finger and following her.

Going to the car and taking napkins, the brunette carried the baby back to the site, holding and wiping his palms in her arms.

\- "Try not to get dirty, otherwise mom will swear a lot, okay?" Lexa asks again, placing the boy on the ground.

\- "Okey, mom," the baby smiled, exposing his half-toothless mouth. Lexa couldn't help smiling back.

\- "Go away…"

\- "Lexa?" the brunette began to watch as the boy ran to his friends, but immediately froze when she heard a familiar voice.

Butler turns her head to the side, and her eyebrows rise up at the familiar figure.

\- "Nia?"

\- "I didn’t think I’ll see you again," the brown-haired woman began to come closer to Butler, leading a dark-haired girl as old as Ed by the hand.

\- "I also. You left for five years without a trace," the brunette notes.

\- “I had to,” Nia shrugs.

\- “Who’s this lovely young lady, mmm?” Lexa already smiling at the girl, bending over to the child, which made her smile shyly.

\- “This is Alex, my daughter,” the brown-haired woman says with warmth in her voice, and Lexa swears that this is the first time she sees her old friend so happy.

\- “Little beauty,” Lexa lightly touches the girl’s nose, which makes her laugh. - "She looks so much like Her ..." the brunette says more quietly, turning eyes to Nia.

\- "Yes. She has Her eyes," the brown-haired woman answers quietly, looking at how her daughter ran to play with the children.

\- “I'm glad for you,” Butler replies sincerely, crossing arms over chest and watching the children play.

\- "Where is your Gwen?" Nia asks. When they got Gwen, Nia was still in Los Angeles, but after she left, they got Ed.

\- “She’s over there.” Lexa points finger to the side, pointing at a blonde girl playing with dolls. - "And there is that womanizer who gives a flower to your beauty," Lexa grinned, pointing to the boy, - "my son, Edward."

\- “Jesus,” Nia breathed, putting hand to lips.

\- “We’ll probably will become a family, right?" Lexa laughs as she watches Alex accept the flower from Edward ...

*****

The next day, Clarke and Lexa sent the kids for the whole summer with grandparents to New York.

\- “God, silence,” Clarke moans, slamming the front door shut, and lazily trudges into the living room.

\- "I can’t believe it, just the two of us," Lexa smiles slyly, throwing denim vest aside. - "Maybe we should going somewhere?" asks the brunette, plopping down on the sofa, putting head on wife's lap.

\- "As then?" Clarke laughs, throwing head back against the couch, stroking the dark strands of the brunette.

\- "Well, no. My car will not survive this nightmare twice,” Butler teases the blonde, which is why she gets a light push in the shoulder. - "Let's just fly away somewhere. Away from here. You told me recently that you want to go to Scotland, why not, mmm?" looks into the blue eyes of wife, catching her questioning gaze.

\- "Are you really serious?"

\- "No, damn it, I just have nothing to talk about! Of course, I'm serious,” Lexa mutters, getting up from wife’s knees, looking at her, barely holding back a smile.

\- “God, I'm all for it,” Clarke smiles broadly, clapping hands happily and climbing up onto the sofa with feet. - "God, let's bring a Scottish puppy to the house, mmm? Can you imagine how the children will be delighted ..."

\- "Necessarily," the brunette answers quietly, taking wife's palm in hers, gently fingering her fingers with hers.

\- "Do you even know how much I love you?" Clarke asks, thumb stroking Butler's wedding ring.

\- “I guessing,” Lexa holds out with a smile on face, squinting slightly.

\- “Probably not guessing,” Clarke observes, climbing to Butler's lap.

\- "Do you want to show me? Just so you know, I don't mind,” Lexa grins, holding the blonde behind back. Kisses on the lips.

\- “By the way, the other day I took Mike,” Clarke admits through a kiss.

\- "Again?" the brunette frowns, slapping wife on the ass.

\- "Ay," the blonde squeaked, clutching ass, - not again, but anew. You don't want me to take your bike, collect a new one for me," the blonde impudently asks, which only causes a indifferent look from Butler's side.

\- “What else,” the brunette grumbled, - “it's not enough that you ride my bike."

\- “It's your fault,” Clarke mutters, crossing arms over chest.

\- "Oh, am I to blame?" Lexa flashes and immediately grabs wife by the ass, which causes a quiet squeak from the blonde's lips, and then Lexa turns her over onto back, hanging from above and pressing her body into the soft sofa. - “You're too naughty…” Lexa whispers languidly on the opposite lips.

Clarke is breathing heavily, and a playful smile plays on lips.

\- "Does it turn you on?" also whispers Griffin, looking at the parted lips of the brunette.

\- "Yes," Butler replies quietly, and then shortens the meager distance and digs into the soft lips opposite with a passionate kiss ...

*****

\- "Lord, what is it?" Clarke frowns when Lexa starts waving some pieces of paper in front of her nose, distracting from her work at the computer.

Clarke closes the lid of laptop and turns in the chair to face her wife.

\- “Tickets,” Lexa says contentedly, continuing to move the envelopes in front of Clarke.

\- "Lord, hurray! When are we leaving?" The blonde asks happily, jumping up from seat.

\- “The day after tomorrow,” the brunette answers. - “Luna, Bell and August are arriving tomorrow, so we can safely go,” the brunette grins, pulling wife closer for a kiss. - "Are you glad?"

\- "Madly," Clarke does not hold back joy, kissing the brunette on the lips. - "God, I love you. Very much," the blonde whispers, clasping Lexa's cheeks in palms, pulling again for a kiss. Lexa smiles through the kiss.

\- "I love you too. Strongly," Butler intermittently kisses the blonde, pushing her towards the bed, - "Strongly," throws her on the bed and site on top.

Climbs onto her hips and begins to pull off Clarke's T-shirt, wanting to get rid of unnecessary clothes as soon as possible. Leans lower and kisses the neck, which causes a soft moan from wife's lips.

\- "We're home!" muffled voices are heard from the lower floor, which makes Lexa froze, looking into Clarke's eyes, and she looks at her in confusion.

\- "Damn..." Lexa snorted, straightening in back, but still sitting on Griffin's hips.

\- “I thought you said, they’ll come tomorrow…” Clark grumbles, looking up angrily into green eyes, in only shorts and a bra.

\- “As planned,” the brunette sighs, falling onto her side.

\- “Okay baby,” Clarke stands up lazily, pulling the shirt back over body. - "One day, and we will continue what we started," Clarke smiles playfully again, bending over Butler, kissing on the lips. - "In the meantime, we'll find out how the trio rested ..."

\- “Your bra is unbuttoned,” Lexa notes as she gets up of bed.

\- "Damn!" Clarke snorted, realizing that wife was right. - "When did you have time? God ..." the blonde whispers softly, following the corridor to the stairs.

\- "Dexterous hands," Lexa purrs in the Clarke's ear from behind, penetrating under wife's shirt, buttoning up her bra.

\- "Dexterous ..." smiles Clarke, mentally thinking about the imminent continuation of the begun, somewhere on the plane ...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone who read, I hope you liked it, I will be glad to see you in others fic, see you ))))

**Author's Note:**

> hope you like and enjoy it


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